Sin
by Jasin Cunth
Summary: this isn't exactly a fanfic, it's a parallel story to ffx's story. my friend suggested i put it here, so here it is. it's kinda long so it might take awhile...please give me your thoughts about it. thanks.
1. Introduction

Sin

By: Jasin Cunth

January 25, 2006

Introduction

In every planet, an energy source is always present in order for the planet to function. This power is called Lifestream. The substance is pure energy, taking the forms of solids and liquids. Lifestream makes everything on the planet, oceans, lands, mountains. A planet often uses Lifestream to keep itself from crashing into other planets, which would cause a giant celestial explosion that has a great possibility to destroy a thousand galactic bodies due to an overload of Lifestream. The essence is a savior and killer. However, planets have never collided because Lifestream controls the planet and, therefore, everything.

Out of the numerous planets in the universe, only one is known to contain life. This planet is Gaia. However, scientists on Gaia are making vain efforts to discover life on other planets and have been studying one that looks to have living beings on it, naming it Luna. Gaia is a well-developed planet with a vast population and hundreds of cities. As with everything, there is constant conflict which leads to wars, but this usually ends quickly and never impedes Gaia's people from advancing.

Gaia is mainly divided into four sections, craggy mountains, breezy grasslands, humid forests, and a glacier area. The planet is also filled with water. No set government is established in any of these areas, but there is a grand ruler of all Gaia. Even though they are separated, each geographical kingdom depends on each other. For example, the fields of Gaia produce the people's crops, such as rice, corn, wheat, and sugar. These products are then transformed into various foods to ship out to supply those throughout Gaia.

Mankind on the planet has very complex philosophies. Their main religion is the Teachings of Yevon. It forbids any use of machina, or machines. Although this makes life more difficult, the people manage. There are those who do not believe in Yevon and call themselves Al Bhed. This people have their own unique language. In the eyes of society, Al Bhed are seen to be kidnappers and killers.

Yevon is believed to have made everything, including Lifestream. It had two children, a girl named Yunalesca and a boy named Zaon. They were said to have created Gaia and its features. As the two grew older, they began to dispute with each other about who would rule Gaia and turned to violence. They called forth heavenly beings under their control to combat. These beings were known as aeons. Dueling with these new found creatures, neither one had the advantage since Yevon created all aeons, although their purpose was to protect, not fight. Yevon watched them fight and never shed a tear as it sealed both of them into the ruins of a city as unsents. Unsents were people who had died and not been given a Sending, which guides them to the Farplane where they can rest in piece. If not, their envy of the living turns to hate and morphs them back on to Gaia as grotesque fiends. Yevon allowed Yunalesca and Zaon to keep their original forms.

After dispelling its sinful offspring, Yevon worked to right their wrongs. The aeons were imprisoned in stone statues in temples all over Gaia. Nobody, unless on of great need, could ever draw an aeon from its prison. Secondly, Yevon created other humans to take the places of Yunalesca and Zaon. The people flourished under its eyes, learning new things like farming, fighting, and forging. Years passed, and more evolutions came to the people until present day, 1593 AB (After the Banishing). Each year consists of four hundred days. Ten days make a week. Four weeks make a month. Ten months make a year.

In 189 an occurrence changed the world forever. Out of space, a meteor-like object collided into Gaia. It was said that anywhere near it was as cold as winter year round. At first, nobody would touch it because they thought the meteor would cause the explosion. However, after a month passed and nothing happened, archaeologists studied the sphere. They were able to determine that the outside was a protection layer, thus showing that something was inside. With the help of many others, these people extracted an otherworldly being, naming it JENOVA. The alien was placed in a case filled with liquid Lifestream. Scientists made constant studies on JENOVA with great interest. It was determined that JENOVA was a female, but her intricate origin was out of their league.

One night, JENOVA made a mysterious disappearance. Her capsule remained untouched, but she herself had evaporated into thin air. The final conclusion was that JENOVA had decided not to remain on Gaia.

A year following the departure of JENOVA, the disease known as Geostigma surfaced among Gaia's people. This sickness is spread all over Gaia. Fortunately, the ratio of those with Geostigma and those without is one to twenty. Geostigma is an epidemic that leaves the infected with a dark brown scar somewhere on their body. It has been hypothesized that it has something to do with Lifestream and mana.

Every human on Gaia has a flow in the body, just like Lifestream. Inside everybody is a tiny bit of Lifestream, as how Yevon made it. The little piece controls everything to keep humans living and produces a liquid called mana. Mana releases blood and other liquids and products for the proper functioning of the body. Another use of mana is to fight disease. Clerics and healers believe that Geostigma is a virus in the Lifestream in the body and mana combats the disease. However, the scar, origin of Geostigma, and pain from the plague were unable to be explained.

A scientist by the name of Dr. Odine discovered the truth of Geostigma. JENOVA had been gathering her power for a year and managed to "dig" into Gaia's Lifestream. Her cells worked furiously to enslave Gaia, but Lifestream was fighting to exorcise itself. When JENOVA entered Gaia's Lifestream, it was poisoned by her cells, thus creating Geostigma in the people. Mana always battles Geostigma, but on certain occasions, Geostigma absorbs the mana to make more Geostigma cells. This would cause the person infected much pain. The scar is the main source of this activity.

Dr. Odine also searched for a cure for Geostigma. JENOVA split her soul in half, maintaining her mental form in the Lifestream while her physical form on Gaia. Her physical form was a monstrous flying behemoth with the vague shape of a mixture of a shark and a whale. It was named Sin. Sin terrorized the people, killing off many and turning the whole planet around. However, Sin was defeated by a young man named Cid and his two companions, Auron and Jasin. Right before he left his hometown, Cid left his two year old son, also named Cid, in the care of an old couple. With the help of the aeons, Cid managed to weaken Sin greatly. He used the Final Aeon to lay the killing blow on Sin, but he had to choose one of his friends to sacrifice for the Lifestream to support the Final Aeon. As Sin was destroyed, a round object of mixed colors exited the body of Sin and implanted itself into Jasin, the Final Aeon's sacrifice. Sin was vanquished, but JENOVA took over the Final Aeon. Not only did JENOVA kill Jasin, but she also killed Cid as well. Auron received a great deal of wounds before managing to find safe haven. Every year, there is one person who will defeat Sin using the Final Aeon. Sin is always reborn because JENOVA takes over the Final Aeon, who becomes another Sin in time. After the defeat of Sin, however, there is a time of peace where there is no JENOVA on Gaia. The interim is called the Calm.

Even though the Final Aeon required two lives, there were those willing to pay the price to see the people of Gaia happy. Among those was Jasin's daughter, Sara.


	2. Guardianship

Chapter I – Guardianship

Cid bent his knees into a sitting position like the hundred of men and women around him. His green eyes were emeralds until they snapped shut from anxiety. Sweat beaded down his face as Cid's mind began to gather thoughts of failure. The heat of the flames on the torches in the temple formed only more perspiration. A faint roaring of the fire and pounding of his heart were the only sounds in Cid's ears. His mouth felt dry without something being there to chew. All he could do was wait.

It was according to the Teachings that guardians were chosen by their summoner. Of course, guardians cannot become guardians without a test of some sort, as do the summoners. So, Cid, son of the first one to bring the Calm, passed the trial, giving him the opportunity to become a guardian. Right now, all of his patience and calmness was being tested.

The door to the Cloister of Trials at the top of a tall staircase opened with a loud grind. Many summoners, dressed in simple white robes of silk, filed out and stepped down the stairs in smooth strides with great elegance. All the guardian candidates stood up with a straight back and firm face. An air of determination reeked from them. As each summoner walked past Cid, he wondered which one would choose him. Minutes flew by like the wind, and still no one had stopped before him. As all hopes began to die, a young woman halted in front of him and stared him in the eye with pools of sapphires and gave him a slight nod. Cid got down on one knee, one hand on the stone floor in a fist and the other on his heart. While his face was down, a brief smile crossed his face. Cid also managed to slip in a small glance at the man to his right, his best friend Be'lal who too had been named guardian. Cid turned his head back to the summoner. An icy cold feeling whipped through his body as she created the special bond between guardian and summoner. The link provided each other the knowledge of his or her location, well-being, and condition.

In the back of Cid's mind, he could sense her there. Mentally they were communicating already. Her name was Sara, daughter of Jasin. He was Cid, son of Cid. She was eighteen. He was twenty-one. Their conversation ended when a loud clap from the high priest ordered everybody to exit the temple. Tomorrow would be the first step of the pilgrimage to defeat Sin. Little did Cid know how the journey would end.

According to custom, Sara was to perform a summoning for Cid to accept her, but for now, each was tired from the day's events and agreed to do what they had to do first thing in the morning. After all, after the events today, a good night's sleep was well deserved.

Light crept into Cid's hotel room on cat's feet. His eyes opened from a dreamless rest. Rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes, Cid threw open his closet to pick out his clothes. He had to choose only one set of clothing. It had to last for many months of hard travel and withstand wear and tear. Yet nothing in his wardrobe could do all of those. He sighed as Cid retrieved a plain blue short-sleeved shirt, dark green pants, and a red plaid jacket. The heat of the sun could be felt in his room. As he finished by tying the jacket around his waist, he realized that Sara was standing at his door.

She laughed with a tone like angels singing. "You can't decide what clothes to bring?" she asked. Cid began to shake his head before Sara said something. "Don't worry. We can always come back here. Then you can choose all the clothes you want."

Cid reached under his bed to retrieve the traditional gift for the summoner. He gave Sara a staff. It had a blue shaft and a circle with three golden leaves at the top. As she was wordless, he scratched the back of his head. "If you don't like it –" began Cid, but Sara stepped forward and gave him a sudden hug. In return, she gave him a great sword. The hilt and blade were grey and white. The blade looked like white feathers placed over each other in an overlapping web of metal. Its sheathe had complicatedly weaved vines of gold.

Cid pulled on leather gloves that stretched just below his elbows. Sara waited patiently with a smile. She was clad in a long dress, white at the top and purple at the bottom. A bright yellow sash tied the dress together at her waist. Her forearms were covered by sleeves of lilac. He stamped on his boots and left with the summoner to do what they needed to do. The day was perfect.

Cid bought two loaves of bread for a cheap price of 10 Gil at the local bakery. He gave Sara one and ate the other. His dirty, short-cropped blonde hair was held back by a pair of goggles. They ate in cherry conversation, asking each other questions.

The chosen spot to perform the summoning was the beach of Besaid. Therefore, they could board the boat to Kilika for the next aeon.

Sara looked very concentrated and confident. She put her right foot behind her and raised her staff in her right hand. A combination of circles surrounded her. Winds swept across the beach, blowing sand and dust everywhere. The grains seemed to go around Sara, as though there was an invisible shield around her as she performed the summoning. Three beams of light shot out of the rings and pierced the sky's mask of clouds. A huge bird descended from the heavens above. Its wing span was roughly fifty feet. Those talons were razor sharp. A chain of large rings was fastened on its right wing. The fiery mane on the back of its head looked like fire. Sara patted the aeon, which let out a sudden screech. "His name is Valefor." Cid took a step closer to Valefor, One by one, his foot proceeded to move towards Valefor. He placed a nervous hand on the beast, feeling the smooth surface of his wing.

The boat at the dock let out a sharp blast of sound. Valefor flew at Sara's side, who occasionally seemed to communicate with the aeon. They boarded the boat minutes before it left. A group of people gathered at the port to bid farewell to Sara. Cid and Sara performed the prayer to Yevon, starting with the hands out to either side before bringing them into the chest, as though holding a sphere, and bowing. Some returned their gesture, but most cried and waved goodbye. A tear slowly trickled down Sara's face. Cid only caught a glimpse of it right before her mouth turned into a smile.


	3. Encounter

Chapter II – Encounter

Two days on the boat gave Cid a more comfortable feeling at sea. All they served on the boat was fish and water. The boat was not small, but there weren't that many people. Crowds gathered around the front of the boat around Sara, bombarding her with questions like "What's it like being a summoner?", "Will you bring us the Calm?" and unmistakably "How many guardians are you planning to have?" Sara _did_ acquire three more guardians. One was a broad shouldered, tall man with a constant look of emotionless firmness. He wielded a devastating lance with deadly force and went by the name of Edgar. The other two were almost like brother and sister. They seemed to know each other very well and had more experience than Cid as a guardian. There was Alexander, the athletic shieldbearer, and Lulu, the mysterious and silent black mage.

On the third day, things were different. Cid ate his fish far away from Sara yet also keeping an eye on her. She talked to Alexander and Edgar while Lulu was below deck, probably meditating or doing something else that never concerned them. An abrupt shaking of the vessel shattered the noiseless peace. A giant fin erupted from the waters. "Sin!" screamed somebody. Water splashed on board. Sara clung desperately to the railing of the boat as Sin rocked the boat, throwing it around in the sea like a toy. Cid hurried to her side, assisting her in stabling herself.

"Can we ride Valefor?" asked Cid, his voice above the splashing water. The fin was vibrating ferociously, and a little beyond Sin's fin was Kilika, with many innocent people sitting on the wooden planks of the town.

Sara nodded slowly and beckoned Valefor. "Here's what we do," explained Cid. "Alexander, Edgar, and Lulu will have to protect the boat from Sinspawn. We need to find the fin's tender spot." The boat quavered powerfully. Sara closed her eyes as she communicated with her other guardians. Cid pulled down his goggles as they climbed on the back of Valefor's giant wings. Three fins were blasted from Sin's fin and landed on to the deck of the boat. Alexander, Edgar, and Lulu went to work. The Sinspawn, this kind called Sinscales, were "offspring" of Sin itself. They took on many forms, and the Sinscales looked like black and purple butterflies with four green eyes and sharp wings with needles protruding from them.

More cocoons were aimed at Cid, Sara, and Valefor, but the expertise in flying of the aeon avoided them all. As they approached the fin, Cid scanned the area for its weakness, a patch or hole of some kind. The surface was crawling with Sinscale cocoons. Frantically Cid stabbed his sword at every spot he could stop to hit. Nothing affected it. A shimmer of purple light caught his attention. He jammed the sword into the spot with a quick, powerful thrust. The fin wavered slightly and dived below the surface of the water. Cid looked down into the waters to spot it. A whirlpool replaced it, Sin in its vortex. Kilika was a town built over the waters on wooden planks. But after Sin was finished, it was no more than a pile of rubble. Boys, men, wood, trees, and straw could be seen flying into the depths of the ocean. A young mother held her baby close as she was consumed by the powers of Sin, ripped apart by the shear force of an oncoming plank of wood. Two children were playing a game until the wrath of JENOVA hit the little town. They spun into the air, thrown like rag dolls into the midst of danger and death as the wheel of death spun to take two more lives. Sin left Kilika with nothing but wood on water, although some of it braved the attack.

Disappointment shot through Sara, resonating into Cid through the bond. Cid, however, could not be disappointed. He wasn't fazed by the loss to Sin. There would always be another fight, other battles that he could win. Ultimately, Sara _would_ defeat Sin.

Valefor gently landed on to the remains of the port. The assault sent the boat straight into the port, smashing through wood and metal. It skidded to a halt, forming a trail of wrecked wood behind it.

An elderly couple ran to Sara, both covered with injuries. "Please perform the Sending," they pleaded. Sara nodded and followed them as they left to a section of the village. Cid followed closely behind. After about five minutes of walking, Cid noticed a girl standing on a house's remains. She was a never-ending fountain of tears. The remains of the house shook. Cid leaped in and took the girl in his arms, placing her safely on the deck. She ran away, still weeping at the loss of those most dear to her. Cid could not help but to follow Sara.


	4. The Sending

Chapter III – The Sending

As Cid pursued his summoner, many faces were seen to be of grief and sorrows and fear and tears. Sara was full of determination to destroy Sin. Cid tried not to let any hint of his emotion through the bond. The last thing Sara needed on her journey was the weight of emotions of others. He knew how the pilgrimage would end, and part of his training was not to let emotions interfere with his job.

They stopped at a place where the planks became steps into the graves of others in the water. A small number of people had gathered at the spot. The old man pointed into the water. Sara stepped into the water smoothly and was not surprised that she was walking on top of the water. She let her hand loosen to dip her staff into the water as she stood motionless, mentally preparing for a Sending. Cid crossed his arms across his chest. Edgar was arriving while Alexander and Lulu were two steps ahead of him. Cid glanced at some torches, standing upright and firing up a bright red flame. The color of the lights flickered once for a split second. It flashed again, this time longer than the previous one. Finally, the flame grew taller and lost all of its crimson color. Instead, blue radiated from the torch. The dead accepted Sara to be their guide to the Farplane.

Sara drew a large circle around her, cutting smoothly through the waters of the ocean with a gift from one who cared so much about her. One fluid movement of drawing various symbols of the Teachings of Yevon in the air and water was followed by a flowing motion into summoning the spirits of the dead. Their souls rose in the form of a miniature, multi-colored meteor, called pyreflies. They gathered at Sara's feet, like a librarian reading to children. A tower of water fabricated under Sara's feet, suspending her into the air. The dead souls glided around Sara. Dancing to the dead, she moved from one step to another in a river of fluent movements. The essence of the dead dashed through the air and vanished, resting peacefully in the Farplane. Sara held her staff with both hands as she brought it down slowly.

She came out of the water slowly. Sara looked very unstable as she took steps closer to Cid. Suddenly she fell heavily on to Cid's chest.

Cid patted her back gently. "You did fine." He wiped her tears with a gloved hand. "Next time, no tears, okay?" He led her into the forest of the island. Edgar and the others were next to Cid, supporting Sara and keeping the publicity away from her. They made a camp with great haste, rolling out a bed roll and placing blankets over them. Sara wriggled in there and fell asleep as quick as lightning. Her guardians positioned themselves around her sleeping form. They never went to sleep that day, watching over Sara was their number one priority. Her even breathing was cut short as a faint sob was heard. Cid turned his head around to check on Sara, only to find that a smooth cycle of air had started again.


	5. Luca

Chapter IV – Luca

The boat cruised pleasantly at a gentle, slow pace from Kilika port. For now, the journey was a peaceful one. Cid felt a calm wind brush against his face. It seemed so gentle and tranquil but also cold. The air made Cid think.

Some nineteen years ago, he had been that small, innocent child handed form his father to an elderly family. For years, the young Cid grew up unbeknownst of his heritage. He was so naïve and innocent. The talk of his father never reached Cid's ears. Until that fateful day, when Cid discovered a letter addressed to his caretakers, all of his innocence melted away like ice in the sun. It gave a full explanation of the purpose of his giving up of Cid. The message even included some photos of Cid holding his son as a baby, taken by various people. That day, he decided to become a guardian of a summoner. He was confident that he would be remember, even after he died, just like his father, High Summoner Cid, the vanquisher of Sin. Just as he did when he read the letter, a cold chill crept down his back.

Sara rushed into his room below deck. "What happened?" she asked in a slightly frightened tone. Cid put his feet off his bed. "Your presence just…vanished…" Her sentences were broken, incomplete, and hasty.

"I must've masked my bond," muttered Cid. He assumed a relaxing sleeping position.

"How?"

Cid turned away from her. "Sorry but, I can't think right now. Please leave." His last two words were slightly demanding. Sara shut the door and window as she left. Cid looked up at the ceiling, staring into something else all together, wondering what he had done with his life.

_Two men were engaged in a clash of swords and wills. As steel rang like trumpets in the air, they hurled the many sword forms known and unknown. But one with wild red hair grew tired and changed to the loser of the duel. In a desperate effort, he ran to a woman in a long dress, placing his sword at her throat. She did not seem afraid at all. In fact, her lips curved into a smile as she raised a staff into the air, creating rings of light around her. He struck with his sword at her with everything he had, but to no avail. That woman was Sara._

He shook himself off the bed, pondering his vision. That had been Sara. But where was he? Who was the man who had lost? Cid exited the door to check on Sara.

The boat docked at the port of Luca. It was the second biggest city in Gaia. The buildings were over a hundred feet high. Sara and her guardians did not leave Luca to go to the Mi'ihen Highroad just yet.

"The Maester's ship is docked at Dock 4," said Sara.

When they arrived, the Maester had just arrived. Everybody bowed their hands and prayed.

The Maester was the ruler of Gaia, of all the land. This one was a new one. He was a person with long blue hair. He also wore the blue cloak of the government over green and red clothes underneath. Evidently, he was a Guado, a strange elfish people.

"Hello everyone!" His voice was like a microphone. "I am Maester Seymour, son of Maester Jyscal." Jyscal was the previous Maester. "I wish you all a good day today, for there will be the blitzball tournament. I will work hard to maintain peace between humans and Guados. But this is no time for a speech. I will see you all at the blitzball tournament." His eyes fell on to Sara, who held her breath until he left.

"Do…do you suppose we can stay for the game?"

The game was halfway through with the Besaid Aurochs and Luca Goers tied 1 to 1. Sara and Alexander had gone to buy food and drinks. They came back quickly a minute later on fast feet.

"Sir Auron is here!" exclaimed Sara happily. "Let's go find him!" She ran quickly to the nearest tunnel exit. Cid followed closely behind with Edgar and Lulu trailing him.

First, they searched the bar. Asking around brought no results.

Somebody shoved Cid rudely to the ground. He recovered swiftly, only to be dealt a hard blow to the face. Drawing his sword, Cid jumped to his feet, eyes scanning for the attacker, but no one was there! He grimaced sourly as he left the bar angrily on the winds of a storm.

"Cid!" called Lulu. "Sara's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed. They say they'll let her go if the Aurochs lose."

He thought for a moment. "Let them take care of the game. Let's go get Sara."

"That's what Alex says…"

The docks were almost empty. Two machine droids with sharp arms ending in points rested in a crouched position and sprung into action as the guardians arrived. Evidently the Al Bhed were expecting them. In one flash of movement, Cid sliced cleanly through the droid, advancing to Dock 3. The other machina was impaled by the spear of Edgar and dispatched by a thunderbolt from Lulu. After all, she _was_ the black mage.

More droids were positioned to halt them. They came in groups of two or three, one after another in never ending waves. However, the web of lightning magic from Lulu exploded into the machinations, tearing them apart like a knife through butter. Once arriving on the dock, Cid, Lulu, and Edgar saw the Al Bhed ship preparing to leave the port. One great leap of faith was all it took to reach the boat. Surprisingly enough, it was much easier than it looked.

Cid straightened on the deck of the ship. The metal floor in front of him opened, revealing a strange machine on four legs with two power motors at the top which were spinning rapidly to provide energy. The middle had many holes to shoot something spherical. It immediately began firing spiked blitzballs, spheres with blue stripes, at the trio. They ran behind a nearby crane for cover.

This gave Cid an idea. "Lulu, do you think you can power this crane with enough electricity to get it going?" he asked. Lulu nodded.

Cid beckoned them closer after peering out to spot the Al Bhed machina. "You need to use this crane to drop the machina into the ocean. Then, you'll know what to do." He winked at Edgar. "Let's go." He and Edgar jumped out.

The deck provided much room to battle. The faint sound of thunder striking the crane could barely be audible. The blitzball rapid-fire was tough to avoid. Sweat stuck his shirt to his back as Cid jumped around the battlegrounds, dodging the sharp edges and batting away the smaller ones. A roar of the starting of an engine brought a smile to Cid. The claws picked up a squirming robot and dropped it into the ocean. Storm clouds began to gather overhead. Thunder and lightning rained down like an avalanche. The water burst noisily with electricity as it conducted the energy. A loud boom brought silence again. The door to the lower areas of the boat grinded open slowly to reveal a slumped body of an unconscious man. Sara stood safely in the opening.

"I hoped you hurt them," declared Cid as he helped Sara out to the deck.

"A little," she replied.

Minutes passed by as they thought of a way to leave. Lulu finally tossed a grenade-like object on to the floor, bursting into an orb of light. On the other side were the stands of the Luca stadium. Sara and Edgar went first. Cid and Lulu were last.


	6. Sir Auron

Chapter V – Sir Auron

Alexander threw a fist triumphantly in the air, cheering wildly as Sara and her rescuers appeared. "What happened?" asked Sara.

"Besaid won! The Aurochs actually won!" He yelled while jumping up and down like a maniac. The Besaid Aurochs was a losing team, not making it to the second round for seventeen years, and now made first place, making it through four teams! It was truly an epiphany. The score was 4 to 3.

Maester Seymour raised from his seat, high up in the stadium so everyone could hear him. "Good job, Besaid Aurochs! Excellent performance," complimented the Maester. His hands were making dull roars. He made more comments on the game.

An abrupt scream of terror tore through the tranquil air from the lower levels. Fiends materialized out of space. JENOVA was not happy, even though Gaia's people were. Alexander and Cid moved through the speeding crowds, butting and shoving their way through. Strangely, no monster was Sinspawn. All of these were unsents. Where were they coming from?

Cid sighed as a wolfish beast stood in his path. Its haste and hard shell gave it a great advantage. It shattered into a number of souls suddenly. Auron stood behind it with a huge sword raised on his shoulder. His long red coat, embroidered in many places, billowed in the wind, blowing behind his knees. His left arm was out of his coat, resting it on his left leg, wrapped in black pants. The high collar covered his neck and almost his mouth. Those black boots were made of the night sky. An ivory belt was tied around his waist. A long gash closed his right eye, and dark glasses rested on his nose.

"Sir Auron!" gasped Cid astonishingly, destroying another fiend with several cuts of the blade. A flying monster slashed Auron, hardly penetrating the hard plates of his sleeveless shirt, and showered the sky with pyreflies.

Alexander took several steps backwards until he hit Cid, who faced a large lizard with rose of razor-sharp teeth. The reptile struck with a claw at Cid, attempting to defend. He was knocked into a wall, plunging him into a deep darkness.

Consciousness came in sections. The first time, he felt himself constantly hitting something. His eyes refused to open. Next, the faint aroma of the salt of the sea whisked into his nose. He began to see things, incredibly blurry. Pain throbbed painfully in his stomach until vomit spewed out of his mouth. Something, probably another fiend, stomped all over him, knocking him out once more. Finally, the third time Cid's hand rose for support. His strength could not sustain his body weight. A cold gloved hand met his, pulling him upright. Black flecks danced across his vision as the bright rays of the sun crept into his sight. Cid reached for his sword, impaled into a wall, and stared ahead at Auron.

"It's been nineteen years, Cid. Nineteen years is a long time. Nineteen years _changes_ you," Auron muttered quietly, barely audible. His back was facing Cid.

At the platform high up in the stadium, Maester Seymour raised his arms high above his head. A gigantic metal hook plunged into the ground in front of him, enveloping the vicinity in a black inferno. The hook tightened and rose, revealing a hideous monster that resembled the skeleton of a fish. Chains wrapped the disgusting thing, binding its arms. Similarly, Sara heightened her staff. Pillars of fire surrounded her and vanished, showing a black and red aeon engulfed in fire. A ball of fire erupted from its mouth and struck a flying fiend. Maester Seymour's summoned beast shot strange, clear beans at all the monsters. Billions of souls flew in the sky. It never failed to strike any fiend with its ability to hit right before it landed on the spectators. Red blood rolled out of the monster's eyes. Had Maester Seymour summoned an aeon?

At the landing on the stairs to the highroad, Auron approached Sara.

"Would you permit me to be your guardian?" His voice was clear, deep, and menacing.

Sara put her hands over her gaping mouth.

"Do you decline?"

"N-n-no! Of course not!" she managed to say. Sara bowed to Auron, placing the magic weave of bonding. "Welcome, Sir Auron!"


	7. Operation Mi'ihen

Chapter VI – Operation Mi'ihen

The Mi'ihen Highroad was a long windy path that led to Mushroom Rock, a canyon. Many summoners walked this path. The dirt road never wore down. Mi'ihen, as legend said, had been the first person to take a step on the road.

Jokes were tossed among the companions. The scent of laughter reeked in the air. The quiet Auron gave a slight laugh. Sara's last words on that route were clear and remembered by all, even the ones who didn't survive the journey. "Thank you. I want my journey to be full of laughter."

But Cid also heard Auron's voice.

"I made a promise to you. I will keep it, Cid. I will." It took him a second to realize that Auron was not speaking about him.

The pass between Mushroom Rock and the Highroad was surrounded by a steel fence. Sentries were stationed at set intervals of the path. They were clothed in metal plates with a scabbarded sword at their side.

"I'm sorry but there is a big operation going on. You may not pass," said the gatekeeper as the company arrived.

Alex crossed his arms. "What operation?"

"Operation Mi'ihen is a movement of all the Crusaders to destroy Sin once and for all." His voice was sharp and to the point.

Alex frowned deeply. "This involves the use of machina, right?" The sentinel nodded. "And machina mean Al Bhed, true?" A second nod was his reply. Alex exploded like a firework. "That's against the Teachings! No machina are allowed!" He went on and on until Maester Seymour came by. Sara made a hasty bow of respect.

"You want to pass, am I right?" he asked. He turned to the guard. "Allow Sara and her guardians to pass." The man opened his mouth to protest. "I will accept full responsibility."

As they went through the canyon, talk entered the silence. "Maester, you realize that the use of machina goes against Yevon!" exclaimed Alexander.

The Maester nodded his head slowly. "If it takes machina to kill, Sin then they must be used." He continued past Alex and vanished out of sight.

Alex's eyes fell on the sight of machina cannons, and he ran to kick the side as hard as possible. "Damn the Al Bhed! Damn their machina!"

"Don't say that," piped up the voice of Sara. "In the end, the Al Bhed work for what we do, right? We all want a Sin-free world. They just use different means to conduct their beliefs. We are our perspective of Al Bhed to them too."

"Well, yeah, but it goes against the Teachings. Sin is considered our punishment for sinning, and machina use is the worst crime." He sighed and proceeded through the canyon.

The Maester explained his plants at the base at the end of the canyon. "We have captured some Sinspawn. This Sinspawn will attract Sin itself. The cannon at the tower and the smaller ones down here will fire. If it is not affected, we will have to use our foot soldiers." Sara nodded. The plan began.

A guard ran to him. "Sir! The Sinspawn are missing!" The cages were empty, and the Sinspawn appeared in front of them. It killed the guard instantly with a pillar of fire. This one could use magic.

Auron was quick to strike at the Sinspawn's body, but it shielded itself with its hard arms of steel. Fire erupted from the ground as Cid and Edgar scurried like mice to the Sinspawn. Lulu formed gusts of wind and earthquakes on the ground, and Alex aimed for the head with his bow. Sara summoned Valefor. Surprisingly enough, Maester Seymour made wave after wave of water, fire, and ice. But the huge Sinspawn was not hurt at all.

Battle raged on with no ground gained. Physical attacks had little to no effect, and elemental magic was even worse. How does Sin possibly produce this monster? Why did JENOVA even do this in the first place?

An abrupt wind sent the Sinspawn hurdling into the sea. No, not at the sea, at Sin.

Sin stood in the water, seemingly as big as the vast ocean itself. Its outer coat was a cluster of various Sinspawn, tinting it a jet black color. It had the vague appearance of a shark. That fin was a little too memorable. Sin's head looked like one of a whale. A shrilling shriek caused Sara and the others to cover their ears.

The tower cannon had a line of electricity passing between the two tips of the cannons. While the main weapon charged, the lesser cannons, numbering more than a hundred, blasted huge projectiles of bullets at thousands of angles at Sin. The protection of Sinspawn completely nullified the attack. Thousands of Sinspawn shells clattered into the waters of the sea. They sparked to life and swam through the water. The foot soldiers waited for Sin to get closer, holding their mounts still. More cannons fired, but most were reloading. At last, the main blaster was ready. A gigantic mass of electric energy shot from the cannon tip. Sin threw up a blue shield. As the two forces collided, Cid knew that Sin would win. There was only one way to defeat Sin, and that was the Final Aeon. The blockade was immensely powerful, so much that it reflected the power back at the tower. The building split in three pieces. The fighters on foot dashed into the water to strike at Sin. A strange wave of blackness covered a group of them. In a second, they vanished out of sight, leaving black particles in the air behind. More and more died as Sin brutally killed mass numbers. The ones that Sin missed were handled by the water monsters. From the perch high above the battle, the company of six and the Maester watched without blinking the wrath of Sin, the wrath of JENOVA.

Sara took quick steps forward and raised her arms out to her side, staff in hand, to summon an aeon.

"Stop," ordered Maester Seymour. Reluctantly she lowered. "Your aeons are too weak. Sin will destroy them."

Cid could feel the dissatisfaction in Sara. Instead the courageous summoner raised her staff and moved in graceful dances. The pyreflies flew in the air as Sara performed a second Sending. People die, and Sara performs the Sending, perfectly normal for the way of the summoner. Once, a dance of the dead had been enough. Two times was pushing it. If Cid saw her perform another Sending, he would break down.


	8. Be'lal and Judas

Chapter VII – Be'lal and Judas

As Sin slowly disappeared into the sea and out of sight, the air began to calm from the fierce battle. The Maester left shortly after Sara started the Sending. The few survivors of the battle would have a great tale to tell. The battle was over. Operation Mi'ihen had failed.

The next temple was Djose Temple. It was one that was not in a city or town. The building was blocked by boulders. They exploded from the temple. Cid and the others instinctively jumped in front of Sara. The rock never touched them, for they were suspended in the air.

"A summoner is already in there," said Sara. Edgar and Auron pushed open the huge double doors. There was a ring of statues of previous summoners. The giant stairs led to the Cloister of Trials. A tall man in a red robe stepped down.

Cid spoke first. "Be'lal!" His friend, sure enough, was there to accompany the summoner. They clasped hands.

"Great to see you, Cid." The man's red hair was like flames. His black garment would have rendered him invisible if not for the dim light of the torches. A broadsword that seemed too familiar was strapped on his back.

The red robed man spoke to Sara. "Hello there," he greeted warmly. "I am Judas, summoner from Kilika."

"Hi, my name is Sara, summoner from the isle of Besaid."

"Ah, so you too have joined the quest to defeat Sin? I see your guardians are up to the job." Sara nodded as Judas looked at Alexander, Lulu, Edgar, Cid and Auron. "Then I propose a race: a race to defeat Sin."

"I gratefully accept your challenge, Summoner Judas." Be'lal and Judas left the temple.

"Who was that?" questioned Alex.

"It was my best friend, Be'lal. He became guardian when I did."

"Well," interrupted Lulu. "We better go on to the Cloister of Trials."

They went down a platform and entered through double doors.

The Cloister of Trials varied in different temples. The one in Besaid feature plain rocks and puzzles, nothing special. Kilika heavily implied fire, thus giving Ifrit, the aeon of flame. The Djose Temple exemplified lightning showing the aeon would be one of the storm. The puzzles were meant to be confusing, as made by Yevon itself. Only the sharp-minded and clever could pass.

This Cloister of Trials was one large room in the shape of a circle. Six cables connected to the ground, the power cables to start an elevator. There would be six consoles to trigger the activation of the cables. Four were in plain sight, spotted by their red flashing light. One was also found buried into the ground, barely visible. They only discovered it when Cid nearly tripped on the protruding corner. The last one was cleverly hidden. It was only discovered when Cid noticed a flash of light behind a wall. With the help of Auron and Edgar he opened it, big enough for Alex to crawl through and start the machine. A circle on the ground disappeared and disclosed an elevator. The elevator took them to the room outside the Chamber of Fayth. The Fayth was a part of Yevon and the essence of an aeon. If the summoner prayed enough, the faith would allow him or her a part of itself, which makes the aeon. Only summoners were allowed in the Chamber of Fayth.

The guardians waited for Sara. Cid hated waiting because it made him think. Perhaps it was fate that was trying to be shown. Yes, it had to be fate. Yevon had given Cid the power to see the future. After all, the worst thing anyone can do is to go against your destiny.

It was nice to see Be'lal again. That man had always been there for Cid, just as he had been there for him. He had not only learned from the best but taught the best too.

But something was wrong with him. Cid wasn't sure what it was, yet there was difference in the former Be'lal and the one he met no less than an hour ago. His eyes had been full of a cloud of mystery and enigma. It frightened him that Be'lal might do something unexpected. Hope filled Cid's heart as he wanted his friend to follow the Teachings of Yevon to be a good guardian.

He grew tired of waiting for Sara and leaned on a wall. He slowly shut his eyes.

_The place smelled like the sewage. Darkness enshrouded four figures, two pairs facing each other. A dim light flickered often, showing a man with the eyes of a rabid wolf with vapors of secrecy. Swords were drawn and met. The air was filled with the music of steel. In another part of the room, two giant beasts battled in a dance to the death. One knocked down the other, which burst into a plume of pyreflies, leaving a man in red open for the kill. His scream tore through the black air like a knife._

Cid awakened from his doze. Those beasts were aeons. But who were the others. He already had seen Sara, leaving three others. And then, Cid knew. It had been Judas.


	9. Helena

Chapter VIII – Helena

The shoopuf ride over the Moonflow was gentle. The river was huge. It was impossible to cross from the western shore to the eastern shore by means other than shoopuf. The shoopufs were giant elephants who provided transportation. Due to their height, the waters of the rivers only came up to their knees. On their backs was the passenger basket, while the driver sat on the neck.

"Word has been going around that summoners have been disappearing," Lulu was saying.

Alexander pounded his chest. "Don't worry. We can always do our job!" he proclaimed cheerfully. He turned to Cid. "Hey, look down there." he said, pointing into the water.

Cid peered over the edge of the basket. "A sunken city!"

"A machina city," corrected Alex. "They built a city on top of bridges across the river, but the weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and it all sank to the bottom. It's a good lesson." Cid looked at him quizzically. "Why build a city of a river? Because they wanted to prove they could defy the laws of nature! Yevon has taught us: When humans have power, they seek to use it. If you don't stop them, they go too far."

Sometimes, even Cid himself, who grew up as a Yevonite, doubted the Teachings sometimes. Yevon decides what machina Gaia's people could and could not use. More than a thousand years ago, mankind raged war using machina to kill. They made weapons that were so powerful that they were thought to be able to destroy Gaia. JENOVA, in the form of Sin, destroyed all those cities with machina. Sin is Gaia's punishment for getting things out of hand, as believed.

A man jumped behind Sara and grabbed her before plunging back into the depths of the cold waters of the Moonflow.

Almost automatically, Cid and Alexander leaped into the river with weapons drawn.

There was another machina, similar to the one that Cid had fought on board the Al Bhed ship. However, Sara was being kept in a globe that seemed to filter water into air, keeping her safe for now. A small cannon came out and fired a bullet through the water. Cid barely dodged the projectile despite his swimming abilities. The machina opened a hole at the bottom, dropping bombs. The blasts rumbled the water like an earthquake, sending Cid and Alexander down into the waters. He pointed upwards at Alexander and surfaced at the top, gasping for air.

"You have to get the bombs on to the machina. I'll rescue Sara as fast as I can," said Cid. He gulped in all the air he could and plunged his head into the Moonflow.

Alexander was already busy with planting the detonators around the machina, perfectly evading everything that was thrown at him with expertise. Cid made a perfect breaststroke to the air globe. He cut the cables that connected to it, but there was no reaction. He then tried to shatter the globe, thrusting his sword into the side of the surface. Alexander was swimming up, putting up one finger for a one minute timer. Water poured into the prison as Cid grabbed Sara's arm and pushed her up towards the surface. He swam upward with his lungs feeling like they were about to explode. The surface was so close, yet so far…Almost there…His mouth opened to breathe in, only to find water. His vision distorted as he blacked out.

Cid opened his eyes to see an Al Bhed girl watching over him. Her blonde hair was tied in various knots. Her orange shirt and green pants seemed to be very appropriate for her. A long claw was on her right arm. Strangely he didn't feel nervous or angry around her.

"Re! E ys Helena," she spoke in Al Bhed.

"What?"

"Sorry. Hi, I'm Helena. Who're you?"

"I'm Cid, a guardian. You saved me right? Thanks." He saw Alexander and the others approaching. "Uh-oh. Okay, see that guy in the black? He's an Al Bhed hater so never mention that you're Al Bhed, okay?"

"A friend of yours?" asked Alex as he saw Helena. Cid nodded slowly.

"Yeah, an Al Bh…Well, Helena's a good friend," he said.

"There's something we need to discuss," said Sara.

"Girls only! Boys please wait over there," piped up Helena cheerfully. The three women talked for awhile and finally broke.

"Sir Auron, I would like Helena to be my guardian."

"Show me your face," Auron said menacingly. Helena slowly brought her face up. "Open your eyes." She opened her left eye. "As I thought…"

"What? No good?" she protested.

"Are you certain?"

"A hundred percent!" exclaimed Helena happily.

"If Yuna wishes it," he said simply and walked away.

"Helena, at your service!"

They arrived at Guadosalam, the great city of the Guados. It seemed to be built in a dense forest and made of many different trees. The company entered the city, sighing with relief at a final place to rest.

A Guado with pointed ears and wild gray hair came to them. "We have been expecting you. Welcome to Guadosalam. This way, my lady, this way." He reached for Sara's hand.

"Hey, hey, hey!" said Alexander angrily.

"Oh, I beg your pardon," said the man. "I am called Tromell Guado. I am in direct service of our leader, the great Seymour Guado. Lord Seymour has very important business with Lady Sara."

"Business with me?" gasped Sara. "What can it be?"

"Please, come inside the manor. All will be explained. Of course, your friends are also welcomed." Tromell led them deeper through the beautiful city. As they arrived in the banquet room, Tromell left them to eat. "I will go inform Lord Seymour. Please wait here."


	10. Proposal

Chapter IX – Proposal

"I get the feeling that he called us here for more than just a dinner," commented Alexander.

Auron warned them in a flat tone. "Stay on your guard. Those with power use that power, and Maesters have more power than anybody else." Cid looked at him for a second. Did he have something against the Teachings of Yevon?

Cid went to the tables to put food on his table. Helena was piling her plate with plenty of fruits. He sat down, eating his food in silence. He looked around the large banquet room, and for the first time, studying each of them. To many, the band made a strange group.

First, there was Sara, who was fidgeting with her hands. Her look of worry and anxiety on her face was one of the things that Cid wished he had not seen. The last thing that a summoner needed on her journey was concern. She was the only thing holding the group together, and without her, the whole party would collapse as easily as cutting butter with a knife. Cid was determined to never let her out of his sight. If Sara would allow it, Cid would offer to be the sacrifice for the Final Aeon.

Alexander normally seemed to be a happy guy, but at that moment he seemed terrible. Frowns just didn't belong on his face. It was a bit funny how he didn't realize that Helena was Al Bhed. In fact, Alexander seemed to almost like her. Cid couldn't help to chuckle under his breath.

Lulu looked like a statue in the room with a face made of stone and a posture that never failed to break. She simply stood there, staring at something. Cid didn't know much about her because Lulu was a quiet person. Sure, she was great in battles as the company's main mage, but there was something about her that made her different. At their first meeting, he had been firm in finding what that thing was, but now Cid seemed to have second thoughts. It was best not to butt into other's business.

Edgar and Auron also seemed to be silent. Cid had a feeling about Edgar that he would play some key role in this journey. Truthfully, everybody played a part in the pilgrimage. Every little bit counts. Edgar seemed to be even more caring about Sara than Cid, if that was possible. Cid nearly choked on his food as he wasn't paying attention to his food.

All Auron appeared to care about was Sara's pilgrimage. It wouldn't matter to her how she would do it or what she would do before as long as she completed it. But his iron determination was not what scared Cid. It was his strength. In battle, his sword killed anything, and that meant _anything_. If Sara somehow vanished, Auron would have the potential to possibly kill all of them. Cid shook his head. No, Auron would never do such a thing. He would probably just find Sara and put her pilgrimage back in place.

Helena seemed to be so happy and upbeat, even more than Alexander. She always was there to supply the party with energy, even though Helena had only been there for an hour at the most. There she was, stuffing herself full of food. Cid was jealous of her never-ending joyful mood. How can someone who is joining a quest where two people die be so happy? She has to break _some_ time…

Tromell returned to the dining room. "It is truly great to have guests again in the banquet room. Ever since Lord Jyscal passed away, these halls have been silent." In Cid's heart, he thought _Was Lord Jyscal really such a great person?_ He brought the Teachings to the Guado, but there was something about him that was fishy. Tromell went on. "Truly a loss for us all. However, we have Lord Seymour now. Lord Seymour is the child of a Guado and a human. He will be the tie that binds the two races together. But that is not all I think. Lord Seymour…He will become the shining star that lights the way for all the peoples of Gaia."

Maester Seymour entered in his usual lavish clothes. "Please, Tromell, do I always have to endure such praise?" He turned to Sara's group. "Welcome. Please make yourselves at home. There's no rush."

Auron stepped forward. "Please keep this short. Sara must hurry in her pilgrimage."

"Accept my dearest apologies, Sir Auron. It has been a long time since I had guests." The Maester stretched out his hand to Sara, who took it, and led her away into the corner of a room. He bent down and whispered something into her ear. Sara then ran to the table and drank three glasses of water.

"Whoa! Sara, your face is really red!" exclaimed Helena.

"What happened?" asked Cid.

Sara put down her last glass of water. "He…He asked me to marry him!"


	11. Consulting the Dead

Chapter X – Consulting the Dead

Auron looked at the Maester straight in the eye. "You know what Sara must do."

Maester Seymour nodded. "Of course. Lady Sara, no _all summoners_, are charged with bringing peace to Gaia. But this means more than defeating Sin. She must ease the suffering of all of Gaia. She must be a leader for the people. I proposed to Lady Sara as a Maester of Yevon."

"Gaia is no playhouse. A moment's diversion may amuse the audience, but it changes nothing," replied Auron with an iron face.

"Even so, the actors must play their parts," responded Maester Seymour with a smile. He looked at Sara. "There's no need to answer right away. Please, think it over."

"We will do so then. We leave." Auron seemed to be getting a bit angry. Cid stood his guard. Who knew what the guardian could do?

"Lady Sara, I await your favorable reply," said the Maester with a lavish sweep of his hand. "Why are you still here, sir?" asked Maester Seymour to Auron, who looked at him puzzled. "I beg your pardon. We Guado are keen to the scent of the Farplane." The scent of the Farplane? Cid didn't even know that Farplane had a smell. They left the household of Maester Seymour.

"Yuna, the guardian's daughter, Seymour, the leader of the Guado. Married in the name of Yevon, overcoming the barrier of race. It would give Gaia something cheery to talk about for a change," said Lulu.

"Sounds just like a passing daydream, just like Auron says," commented Alexander.

"C'mon! Let's just get on with the pilgrimage," said Cid surprisingly. "I mean, marriage?"

Helena looked at him with a strange expression on her face. "Hmm…Jealous?"

"What? Of course not! Our top priority is to defeat Sin. Romance can wait!" declared Cid.

Alexander shook his head and sighed deeply. "He sure picked a fine time to lay this on us."

"Maybe it is a fine time," whispered Sara in a low voice. "If my getting married would help Gaia…if it would make people happy…If I could do that for the people…maybe I should do what I can. I never imagined to do anything like this. But I won't know the answer till I know what's right."

"You could always just quit your pilgrimage and get married," offered Helena.

"I will go on," Sara said bravely. "I'm sure Lord Seymour will understand." Helena looked unsure. She turned to her. "I am a summoner! I must fight and defeat Sin."

"Like Cid before you," added Auron.

"I'm going to the Farplane to see my father and think on this," decided the summoner.

Cid had to stop himself from screaming out "What is there to think about?" Why wouldn't the others ask her: Do you love him? Do you even like him?

They walked along through a tunnel in Guadosalam to the entrance to the Farplane. It was a narrow passageway and they had to walk single file. As they walked up the final passage of stairs, Cid noticed that Auron would not be joining them.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked.

"I don't belong there. Searching the past to find the future…This is all that is there. I need it not."

Also Helena was staying there too. "You're not really going to see the dead, more like your memories of them. People think of their relatives, and the pyreflies react to them. They take on the form of a dead person – an illusion, nothing else." Cid looked at her thoughtfully. "Well, have fun!"

"You're not going either?" complained Cid.

"I keep my memories inside. Memories are nice, but they're all they are."

The group arrived at a large circular platform made of stone and wood. There were various spires coming out of the sides. It seemed to be surrounded by clouds, but as soon as they entered, the fog vanished to reveal a magnificent garden-like scene where there were huge waterfalls and clusters of pink flowers.

First Cid went to talk with Lulu, who was looking at the ghostly image of a man who dressed like Alexander with flaming red hair. "He is dead, and I am still alive. Coming here really makes that clear. I should focus on what I have to do now." Cid looked at her, perplexed. "I'm not even sure what I'm saying."

"Don't you mean you should leave him behind? I'm sure he was a great guy but there will always be others," suggested the guardian. "Maybe Alexander…"

"Me? With Alexander?"

"You two get along great!" complimented Cid.

Lulu shook her head. "Getting along isn't enough. Not even close. You'd do well to remember that. Knowing a bit about women might come in handy some day." Cid left her alone after that.

"I've decided," said Sara finally. "I remember, in Bevelle that day. Cid had just defeated Sin, and the whole town was out in the streets. Everybody was laughing. They all seemed so happy. If I defeated Sin, that would make everyone happy…wouldn't it? I must do what everyone wants, not just what I want."

They returned to Auron and Helena. "Thanks for waiting," said Sara. "I'll go give my answer to Maester Seymour."

Suddenly a strange silhouette of a Guado began to appear and walked down the steps. "Lord Jyscal!" screamed two Guado at once.

Auron ordered, "He does not belong here. Send him." Nobody noticed, except for Cid, that he had dropped to his knees. Sara ran up the steps and performed a miniature Sending. Lord Jyscal vanished into pyreflies.

The summoner went back to her guardians. "I don't understand how a man like Lord Jyscal could die and not be sent," she said with much dismay.

"I would think that he was sent once, but he stayed on Gaia. Something, a powerful emotion could have bound him to the world. Such things happen," guessed Lulu.

"That's against the rules, isn't it?" asked Helena.

"It means he died an unclean death," grunted Auron.

Sara went through the red double doors and into Maester Seymour's household. Meanwhile, as they waited, Cid went to talk with the others.

"So, Lulu, what do you think about Sara getting married?"

"As long as the pilgrimage continues, either way is fine with me. People marry for many reasons. Sometimes marriage doesn't require love. Defeat Sin, and bring joy to the people of Gaia. Get married, and bring joy to the people of Gaia. For her, they're just two ways down the same road. All you need is determination. If you have that, you don't need love." Cid studied her for a moment. "If Sara is to marry, I would want her to marry for love. But if she said she wanted to marry the man she loves, I would have to object."

"What? You're not making much sense," commented Cid.

"I know…" was her response. "You'll understand one of these days. I just don't want to give it words. I shouldn't have to say this, but don't fall in love with her." Cid nodded solemnly, but somewhere in his heart there was doubt. It was undeniable that Cid had affection towards Sara, maybe even jealousy of the Maester. But that was not his position. He was supposed to protect Sara to the end of the pilgrimage, where she obtains the Final Aeon to defeat Sin.

A young female priest ran to Cid as he was exploring. "Was the lady summoner with you?" she asked.

"She went to the Maester's household," answered Cid.

"Maester Seymour left Guadosalam awhile ago. I think he went to the temple in Macalania. Maester Seymour is also the high priest of that temple," she explained.

Cid left to go tell the others. Helena called for Sara to leave, who come out minutes later. "They say he went to Macalania Temple."

Alexander rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What I don't get is this: Why would the lord Maester run off without warning to anyone?" he wondered.

"Maybe he wasn't expecting Sara's answer soon," suggested Helena. Alexander nodded at her in agreement.

"Sara, what is it?" asked Auron.

"Oh, nothing!" answered Sara.

"You're a poor liar."

"It's true! It's nothing! Come on, let's go."


	12. Change of Plans

Chapter XI – Change of Plans

The summoner and her guardians exited Guadosalam through a tunnel that led to the southern end of the Thunder Plains. The Thunder Plains were grassland plains that always had clouds covering the skies, even though the Moonflow and Guadosalam had a perfectly clear day. Thunder always rained down on the floor, but luckily, some people had been thoughtful enough to build lightning rod towers. But through the years, no one was there to maintain the towers to their full power and brought the lightning rod towers that were supposed to attract the lightning bolts to a disaster. Now, with lots of hope, it _might_ be possible for the towers to absorb the thunder.

As they approached the beginning of the long trek across the Thunder Plains, Helena seemed on her toes. Lightning struck the floor, spraying grass and dirt in a hole about twenty feet away from them. The Al Bhed girl shrieked as her face turned white with fear. As the company continued on, she seemed to be more frightened by lightning.

Finally, one bolt of thunder snapped her senses. "I wanna go home! I hate thunder! I hate lightning! Let's go rest over there!" Helena screamed suddenly, pointing to a small convenient inn which was designed for a halfway mark to travelers. "Please?"

Auron just continued to walk on. "The storm never stops. It's better to cross quickly," he said.

"I know, but…just for a little while?" The others ignored her and went on. As they approached the lodge, she still pleaded to them. "Pretty please? Just for a few minutes?" They walked away from her. "I'm scared of lightning! Let's rest, please? Pretty please?" She looked like she was scared of everything. "I'm too young to die," she whispered to herself. As the others ignored her again, she yelled at them. "You're mean! Cruel! Your moms would be ashamed of you! Are you having fun doing this to me?"

Auron sighed deeply. "Fine, we rest. She's even worse than the storm."

Cid and the others entered the lodge. "I'm…a little tired," Sara told them. She went to the front desk. "Do you have a room available?" The man at the front desk nodded and directed her down a hallway to a room.

Alexander looked at her suspiciously with a raised eyebrow. "It's not like her," muttered Lulu, shaking her head.

"Are you that scared?" asked Cid.

Helena nodded slowly as color returned to her face. "When I was little, a fiend attacked me as I was swimming at the beach. My brother tried to beat it back with a spell. But he missed and hit me instead! It was a Thunder spell!" She made a sound like the zapping of lightning and moved her hands to explain.

A young man with blonde hair and green eyes and dressed in a brown leather jacket and pants came out of the hallway. "Nice to see you. I am Rin, owner of the establishments of the Rin Travel Agency." He looked at Helena. "Oh?" Helena put a fingers to her lips and uttered a loud "Shhh!" Cid decided to go walk around the inn.

He heard strange sounds from Sara's room. Cid put his ear to the door but accidentally stumbled into her room. Sara looked startled.

"Y-Yes?"

"I…uh…It's nothing, really…I…uh…" Cid began to scratch the back of his head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come in." Then he noticed, on a desk, a sphere. "Is that Lord Jyscal?"

Sara nodded. "The sphere is his will. It says 'Take care of my son.'" Cid apologized again and left the room.

The following morning, things hadn't changed at all with Helena's karaunophobia. "It's not stopping…is it?" she whispered slowly.

"Don't tell me you were hoping it would," grunted Auron. "Fine. Stay here."

"All right, already! But! You didn't have to say it like that, you know! You could be more comforting or something! You know, try to cheer me up? You just don't get me at all, do you? Hey! Are you listening?" shouted Helena. Lightning struck again. "I'm not scared! I'm not scared, you hear?"

The company traveled more until Sara stopped them. "Everyone, wait. I have something to tell you," she said.

"Here?" asked Lulu.

Helena was incredibly impatient. "We're almost out of here! Let's go!"

"I have to say it now…"

Auron pointed to an area with a roof shade. "Over there." They arrived shortly as Sara spoke the words that shot through Cid like a bullet.

"I've decided to marry."

"I thought so," commented Lulu, shaking her head again while putting a hand to her forehead.

"But why? Why'd you change your mind?" asked Alexander.

"For Gaia's future…and Yevon's unity. I thought it would be the best thing to do," answered the summoner in a brave voice.

"That's not good enough," replied Auron.

"Wait, is it because of Lord Jyscal?" wondered Lulu.

"Hey! That sphere!" exclaimed Cid. Auron demanded to see it, but Sara refused to let him.

"I can't," she explained. "I must speak to Maester Seymour first. I truly am sorry, but this is…this is a personal matter." She looked down at the ground. Cid wondered what she was thinking at that moment.

"Just one thing..." Auron began to say something.

"I won't quit my pilgrimage," responded Sara almost automatically.

"Then it is…fine." Auron continued to the north end of the Thunder Plains.

Cid stopped him. "Wait a minute, Auron! You don't care? I mean, you're not going to stop her?" Before he knew what he was doing, Cid had surprised himself by calling out Sir Auron's name and stopping him in his tracks. The pilgrimage truly was full of surprises.

"No, I'm not," Auron said. "As long as she is willing to face Sin, everything else is her concern. That is a summoner's privilege. As long as she journeys." Cid's face began to redden from frustration.

"Sara, just one question," Alexander spoke. "Can't you just talk to Maester Seymour? You absolutely _have_ to marry him?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But I think it is the right thing to do."

"Sara…" Helena put her hands on the summoner's shoulders. "I wish we could help somehow, some way!"

"It's okay…I'll be fine."

Auron was all business again. "Next, we're going to Macalania Temple. Sara can talk with Seymour there. We guardians will wait until they're done and plan out our next move."


	13. The Truth is Revealed

Chapter XII – The Truth is Revealed

They entered the ice fields in front of Macalania Temple. The frozen glaciers seemed to be rock painted white. As soon as he took a step on to the ice, Cid stopped at the voice of Auron. "You're worried about Sara."

Cid began to get used to talking to the big man. "Definitely. I wonder what she's thinking…"

"The simplest answer would be: in exchange for agreeing to marry him, she hopes to negotiate with Seymour," replied Auron in a stone voice.

"What would she have to negotiate with him?" asked Cid, but Auron didn't have the answer.

"She's strong, but Seymour is the better negotiator," commented Auron.

"Why don't we do something about it then?"

"She wants it that way. She doesn't want us caught up in whatever she is planning. Sara is easy to read, but hard to guard. Stand by her always," advised the legendary guardian.

Tromell appeared again. That man just seemed to pop up everywhere! He bowed as he approached Sara. "Lady Sara, we've been expecting you," he began. _Of course, the Maester _always_ expects her_, thought Cid. "We were surprised to see you so soon, but of course, pleasantly surprised. Lord Seymour sends his deepest apologies for leaving so unexpectedly."

Sara nodded. "It's alright, but I have one question. I want to keep journeying, even if I marry. Do you think Maester Seymour will let me?" she asked.

"Of course!" exclaimed Tromell. "Lord Seymour wishes nothing else, I'm sure." Sara waved goodbye to her companions. "Well, we must follow Guado traditions. I'll have to ask you to wait here a little longer. I'll send someone to escort you."

Tromell and Sara didn't even walk ten steps before Helena screamed "Al Bhed!" Cid found it incredibly ironic and nearly laughed but ran none the less. A bunch of Al Bhed men on sled-like motor vehicles surrounded Sara, but her guardians pushed through.

"Stand back," said Auron, raising his giant sword. Tromell bowed in thanks, but Sara went to assist her guardians, much to Tromell's surprise.

"Helena!" screamed a voice. She whipped around in a full circle at the sound of her name by a familiar voice. "Tyh'd ehdanvana un oui kad dric!" A giant machina with the look of a cannon crawled over the brow of the hill hill. "Oain bnaciuic magic and aeons yna caymat!"

"Translation?" suggested Cid.

"He's going to use an anti-magic field on us!" exclaimed Helena.

"Ked dras!" screamed the man.

The machina stopped in front of them. Helena was the first to notice a timer under the barrel of the cannon. "Ten minutes till the cannon fires!" she announced. "Look!" Helena pointed to a strange droid suspended in the air next to the machina. "I think that's what's holding up the anti-magic field! We have to destroy it!" Lulu and Sara stood back with Edgar protecting them with his spear. Cid and Auron leaped up as far as they could to reach the droid, stabbing it with their swords, but the machina was too far up. Alexander hurled his shield at it, but it moved just at the last moment to dodge it. Helena threw a grenade at the droid, which immediately caught on and exploded on contact. The machina fell to the ground, useless, and burst into flames on the ice.

Lulu then leaped forward and began to beckon thunder and lightning to come. Sara pointed her staff into an ice wall as a beam of lightning shot out from the tip of her weapon. A circle of lightning appeared, and a horse was pulled out by the lightning connection. It leaped on to the ice, roaring into the air the sound of a horse. Ixion _looked_ like a horse, except it had a hooked horn on its head. The aeon of thunder certainly was not something to ride on. Thunder rained down on the machina like rain, pelting it endlessly. Ixion fired a boomerang-like object from its horn at the machina. Despite its size, the projectile sent the machina straight into an ice wall. Its heavy weight sent it through the ice and into the cold waters. Lulu bent the thunder into the water. There was an explosion that seemed to rock the world, and then it was silent again.

That man that had yelled to Helena appeared again at the hill. "Helena! I femm damm Vydran!" he hollered.

"E ys dra guardian of Sara, oui caa? Sara ec cyva! Fa femm kiynt ran! Cra ec cyva!" replied Helena, screaming at the top of her voice.

The man shook his head. "Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan!" He left with a steaming head.

"How come you speak Al Bhed?" demanded Alexander, even though he knew the answer already.

"Because I'm Al Bhed, and that was my brother." Helena looked down at to the ground.

Alexander looked at the others. "You knew?" Cid nodded slowly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We knew you'd be upset," murmured Lulu in a quiet voice.

"This is great. I can't believe I've been traveling with an Al Bhed for all this time!" exclaimed Alexander, kicking the ground with his foot. "A heathen!" He spat on the ice.

"You're wrong!" argued Helena. "We Al Bhed have nothing against Yevon."

"You Al Bhed use the forbidden machina!" countered Alexander. "You know what that means? Sin was born because people used machina." The others just watched them with something similar to interest. "It's in Yevon's teachings!"

"Yevon says this, Yevon says that, why don't you think for yourself for once?"

"Well, then tell me: why did Sin come?" demanded Alexander, his face red with rage.

"I…I don't know! But that doesn't mean you should do whatever they say without thinking! Nothing will ever change that way! There might be a way to stop Sin from coming back, you know?"

"Sin will be gone once we atone for our past mistakes. If we keep faith in Yevon's teachings, it will be gone one day!" Helena shook her head and walked away to Auron, who asked her if she could get the motorsleds from the fled Al Bhed running.

"We're not using that, are we?" sighed Alexander. "Wait…Sir Auron isn't Al Bhed too, is he?"

Cid shook his head. "C'mon, Alex. Getting angry just because you found out Helena's an Al Bhed…You guys got along okay before right? I know she's a good person. She's just Helena!" he said. Alexander turned to Lulu.

"Just think of this as an opportunity to learn more about the Al Bhed," she replied. Alexander left in fury.

"Let him go," commented Auron. Helena started to apologize, but Lulu said that she had nothing to say sorry for. Helena and Lulu hopped on to one sled while Auron took another. Cid had one to himself, and so did Edgar. Alexander, Sara, and Tromell seemed to have already left.

As they were driving, which was much simpler than Cid thought, he decided to ask Edgar some questions. He accelerated next to Edgar. "What do you think of Helena being an Al Bhed?"

"Most people in the world are followers of Yevon," replied Edgar in a deep voice. Cid found out earlier that indeed Edgar did talk, although very rarely, but he had been chatting a lot more with the others. "But the Al Bhed are the Al Bhed, and Helena is Helena. She swore to protect Sara and she's not a liar. I can tell. Therefore, she's a friend."

Cid thought for a moment. "You might want to tell her that," he suggested. "I think she needs to know why she's still here with us."

They arrived at Macalania Temple shortly. It did not surprise them that there was a guard who stopped Helena as she tried to walk into the temple. "Halt!" ordered the man. "The likes of her are not welcome in this hallowed place." Auron explained that she was a guardian. As expected, he was shocked at an Al Bhed guardian.

"I've decided to be Sara's guardian, and that's all I want," she said softly.

Auron walked past them both. "And that's all one needs to be a guardian." Helena and the others followed him. They entered the vast room of the temple. A priest told them that Sara and the Maester had gone to the Cloister of Trials. Abruptly a woman ran out of one of the rooms and screamed.

"Lord Jyscal! A sphere, in Lady Sara's belongings…" It only took moments before the summoner's guardians rushed in. Cid bent down and picked up the sphere, pushing a button on the bottom to play it.

There was a ghostly image of Lord Jyscal, who closely resembled a mixture of Tromell and Maester Seymour. Then they heard his strange, mysterious voice. "What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth. I swear it on my honor as a Guado. Listen to me very carefully, for I shall tell you the truth about my son, Seymour. His mind is closed even to me, a maester of Yevon. But I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado, and even the summoners. If he is not stopped, he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira. I will leave this world soon, killed by my own son. But I do not fault him. Because I was not wise enough he has suffered, and become twisted. I could not protect him and his mother from the world and its cruelty. I will accept death as punishment for my deeds. But whoever is watching this...I implore you to stop Seymour! Stop my son." The sphere ended.


	14. Facing the Truth

Chapter XIII – Facing the Truth

"Wonderful," mumbled Auron under his breath. "Sara won't be alright without us." He left the room with Edgar and Helena trailing behind him.

"Where are you going?" asked Alex.

"You saw the sphere. Seymour's bad news," said Cid. He surprised himself again as he didn't say "Maester Seymour."

"But he's a Maester!" protested the guardian stubbornly.

"If he is truly at fault, then it must be done," Lulu said as she too left with Cid.

"This can't be happening," grumbled Alexander with a sigh.

Cid rushed into the room on fast feet. "Seymour!"

"Please be silent. Lady Sara prays to the Fayth," said the other calmly. Cid held a tight fist and clenched his teeth. A door on the opposite side of the room grinded open to reveal Sara leaning on a wall.

"But…But why?" she gasped.

"We saw Jyscal's sphere," explained Auron. He turned to Seymour. "You killed him."

Seymour didn't look the least bit surprised. "What of it?" he began pleasantly like this was skipping through a field of flowers. "Lady Sara, surely you knew of these things, did you not?" The summoner looked awestruck. "Well then, why have you come here?"

Sara looked down at the ground. "I came…" She didn't look too sure. Suddenly, her face was full of determination. "I came to stop you!"

"Ah, so you came to punish me then." He extended his claw-like fingers. However, Sara backed away. "What a pity." Her guardians surrounded her. "Ah, but of course. 'Protect the summoner even at the cost of one's life.' The Code of the Guardian. How admirable," he said with amusement. "Well, if you're offering your lives, I will have to take them." He clapped his hands, and two Guado dressed like him appeared out of thin air.

"Maester Seymour," declared Sara, her voice loud and clear. "I trust my guardians with my life, but they're also my friends. I won't stand by and watch them get hurt." She raised her staff high. "I will fight you too!" She nodded at her other guardians, carrying a mental message to them about a plan.

"So be it," he mumbled, raising his hands high. Ice came crashing through the roof, aiming for Sara and her companions. The summoner bravely twirled her staff in three circles and the ice shattered around them, as if they had a shield. Edgar, Cid, and Auron ran to Seymour's Guado guards and sliced at them. Both of them drank some sort of water, and it was like nothing happened.

"Let me try," said Helena. She snooped around the room until she snuck up behind them and stole their water, tossing it to Alex who surprisingly smashed it with his shield. An opaque liquid sprayed all over the floor, hissing and churning. Lulu conjured a torrent of water that burst through a side of the room. Seymour smashed into the opposite wall. Then, the two Guado guards vanished into a bunch of pyreflies, which Seymour seemed to collect.

"Feel my pain." Seymour's voice was like a knife now. "Come, Anima!" A giant hook crashed through the ceiling and into the ground, spewing black flames everywhere. Cid looked on with horror as he recognized Seymour summoning the same aeon he had in Luca. That fish's skeleton looked so grotesque that it topped any unsent Cid had ever seen in his life.

"Sara! The new aeon!" he cried. Sara mumbled something that sounded like "Oh Fayth, give me strength." She raised her staff and knelt on the ground on one knee. Four giant pillars of ice came down behind her, forming a flower-like shape. A shadowy figure was embedded in the ice. It looked like a woman. Her eyes flickered open, and the ice shattered into a thousand pieces. A blue blanket landed in Sara's open arms. Her new aeon was Shiva. The others backed away as Shiva snapped her fingers twice, causing two crystal-clear boulders to be impaled in Anima. The disgusting aeon fired those invisible beams at Shiva, who somehow nimbly dodged something that couldn't be seen. The two aeons gave Cid a pang of conscience, a flash from the past. Could this be the vision that he had seen before? _No_, he thought. _Where is Judas?_ Then, he wondered where his friend was. Suddenly, Shiva spun around in a circle with a palm facing Anima. Ice shot out of her fingertips around Anima. Cid really didn't want to get on Sara's bad side. Who could possibly survive in some kind of attack like that? Ice covered Anima. Shiva snapped her fingers one final time, and Anima shattered like glass. Seymour's aeon dissipated into a bunch of pyreflies.

"That power that defeated Anima…It will be mine!" screamed Seymour in a voice that didn't seem to belong to him. He futilely assaulted Sara's party with ice and fire and thunder and anything that he could make, but the summoner was his equal. Every time he tried to cast some nasty magic on them, she countered by making a nullification spell on them, causing no damage from the Maester's magic. Helena threw a smoke grenade on to the ground in front of Seymour, causing a haze to spray all over him. Lulu covered him in pillars of fire while Alexander, Auron, Edgar, and Cid launched their weapons into Seymour's location. They were satisfied as all of their weapons were protruding through a fallen Seymour. Each of them extracted their weapons, wiping the blood on Seymour's clothes. All the rumbling stopped. Seymour turned his head painfully to Sara. "Would you pity me now?" With that, he died.


	15. Encounters

Chapter XIV – Encounters

Tromell and some more Guado entered the destroyed room. "Lord Seymour!" the servant cried. "What happened here?"

"What…What have I done?" Alexander asked himself.

Tromell bent down to Seymour and then turned his head to them. "You did this?" Auron ordered Sara to send him, but Tromell covered him with his body. "No, stop! Stay away from him, traitors!" Tromell and the Guado proceeded to carry the dead body of Seymour out of the room.

"Traitors?" said Sara as if she was trying the word out.

"We're finished," mumbled Alexander.

"Let's get out of here," declared Auron in an iron voice.

As they arrived at the entrance room of the temple, Sara and her guardians were approached by Tromell and the same Guado. "Please…Give us a chance to explain," protested Sara.

"No need. I know what I'll tell the other Maesters. Lord Seymour was the leader of the Guado before becoming a Maester," said Tromell in a weird voice.

"You're not letting us go," said Cid.

Much to their surprise, Tromell laughed out loud. "Let you go? Lord Seymour would never forgive us if we did." Helena offered to show them Jyscal's sphere. Again, Tromell shocked them as he held it in one hand. "You mean this?" He threw it on to the floor. The sphere shattered into a thousand pieces. "The Guado take care of Guado affairs."

"Away!" shouted Edgar, breaking through Tromell's group. The others followed closely behind. Luckily, the Guado had not noticed that their ice sleds were still there. Sara and Cid took one and zoomed ahead. Lulu took the one with Alexander while Edgar had one to himself, as before. Auron had the accompaniment of Helena on his. As they approached the large ice flats where they had encountered the machina before, the ice had mysteriously vanished. It was too late to stop. The last thing Cid remembered before blacking out was falling through the air with a cold wind brushing against his face.

Cid groaned as his eyes flickered open. He felt icy cold water on his face. Getting on to hands and knees, he felt the hard ground. Cid got to his feet and began to walk around, gingerly testing if anything was broken. Luckily, he only had a few scrapes and bruises.

"We're under the lake ice, aren't we?" asked Lulu. Cid shrugged. "Look." She pointed at a sharp point. "That's the bottom of the temple. We've fallen a long way."

He then walked around and met Auron. "What now, I wonder," the man said.

"'What now?' You act first and think later, don't you? I mean, can't you be a little more responsible? We're all depending on you," said Cid, frustrated.

"A lecture?" Auron's voice was still even.

"No. No. No. Just a suggestion…"

"You should place trust in your friends. But you can't expect someone to protect you all the time. You would do well to remember that," replied the aged man.

"Is _that_ a lecture?" questioned Cid.

Auron laughed and shook his head. "It's advice."

Cid then noticed that Alexander was coming to. He bent at his side. "Hey, Alex. You feeling okay?" The other nodded slowly. "Cheer up! We only did what we had to do."

Alex shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I've always walked the path of Yevon, but now…I'm a traitor. How could this happen? Damn…"

"It's not Helena's fault either," Cid hastily said.

"You don't know how I feel."

Helena came to Cid. "I'm sure Sara's okay. She's breathing fine and all." Sara was in a sleeping position on a wooden board. "How are Lulu and Alexander?"

"Well, Alex's in shock. Then again, you can't blame him. Lulu, well, she's just the same as always," explained Cid.

"She's so together," said Helena in a soft voice. "All grown up, I guess…Well, just give me five or six more years…"

Cid scratched the back of his head and turned his back on the Al Bhed girl. He went back to Edgar. "So, how do you think we can get out of here?"

Helena pushed Cid lightly. "Hey! Don't change the subject!"

"We climb," mumbled Edgar.

"Edgar, you too!"

Edgar shook his head. "Only those who try will become."

Helena looked at him questionably. "I think he means you have to work hard if you want to be like Lulu," suggested Cid. Helena nodded in agreement.

"I think you should stay the way you are," said Edgar.

"Are you saying I'll never be like Lulu?" asked Helena angrily. Edgar didn't respond. "Edgar!" Cid laughed in spite of himself.

Alex came over to them. "How can you laugh at a time like this?"

Sara began to stir awake. Edgar helped her up slowly, but she shrugged his arms off of her. "I wanted to confront Maester Seymour about his father, Lord Jyscal. I wanted to convince him to turn himself in to Yevon's judgment," she explained. Cid was amazed that she would say such things right after she had woken up from being unconscious.

"In exchange for marriage?" asked Lulu. Sara replied with a short nod. "So, what did he say?"

"He didn't say anything. Now, I don't even think it was worth it…I should've told you what I was planning to do," she said.

"Enough," interrupted Auron. "Dwelling on the past is futile."

"Hey!" screamed Helena. "You don't have to say it like that!"

"You want to waste time listening to her regrets?" Auron suggested sarcastically.

"You don't have to say it like that," repeated Helena, this time softer.

"Our immediate concern is Sara's pilgrimage," declared Auron in an iron voice. He turned to Sara. "Are you willing to go on?" Sara nodded. Auron read her worry on her face very easily. She was afraid if Yevon would not allow it. Even Cid could read her. _I think I'm getting good at reading her_, thought Cid to himself. "The Fayth are the ones that give power to the summoners. Not the temples or the teachings. If the temples try to stop us…" He trailed off for a moment. "Then we will defy Yevon if we must."

Everybody looked at him in shock. Alexander stepped away. "Count me out. We have to atone, to make up for sins we have committed." Cid sighed softly. Here he went again, ranting on about atoning and sins and a bunch of other stuff that he could never accept. "Of course…it's not like I ever liked Maester Seymour…I'll never forgive him for killing Lord Jyscal…and for trying to do us all in too! But still, us going against Yevon? No way!"

"But still," Lulu protested. "We have transgressed and must face our punishment."

Sara spoke up again. "We must go to Bevelle. We must speak with Maester Mika and explained what happened. There is no other way, I think…" Alexander and Lulu nodded in agreement. "Sir Auron, will you come with us?"

Auron laughed in a slow rumbling tone. "I am the troublemaker, after all."

Cid, too, chuckled at Auron's statement. "You can always count on Sir Auron to complicate things."

Helena joined into the discussion. "Yeah! Edgar roars, Auron runs off, and…"

The big man stepped in front of Helena. "I never asked you to follow me."

"But that's what friends are for!" commented Cid. Helena nodded and gave him a high-five.

Alexander began to talk again. "Man…How can you act like nothing's wrong? You must have nerves of steel or something…"

Lulu put a hand to her forehead. "You're too edgy. Listen to the hymn and calm down." In fact, they all decided to listen. They sat down on the floor, despite the cold water, and listened to the Hymn of the Fayth.

_Noemui_

_Nobomenu_

_Lenmiri_

_Yojuyogo_

_Hasatekanae_

_Kutamae_

They listened to the tune for some time. Nobody kept track anymore. Finally, each of them stood up as the singing stopped. Following this was an abrupt shaking of the ground.

"There's something here! The ground!" screamed Alex.

"Sin!" The voice seemed to belong to Sara.

Lulu shouted loudly so everybody could hear her. "The toxin! Watch out!" Everything seemed to turn white as Cid, Sara, Edgar, Lulu, Alexander, Helena, and Auron all fell into a splash of colors.


	16. Home

Chapter XV – Home

Again, Cid came from a deep sleep. He opened his eyes, only to be stung. It was then that he noticed he was in an oasis in a desert. Rubbing water out of his eyes, Cid stepped out of the oasis. "Where am I?" he asked himself. Suddenly, a giant bird stopped in front of him. Cid ran to it and stabbed it as hard as he could with his sword, but it wasn't enough. The bird came swooping down, making a full circle with its talons out, sharp and deadly.

A chunk of ice fell on the bird's head. The fiend fell to the ground under the weight of the giant block. It then proceeded to burst into a shower of pyreflies. Auron and Lulu stood behind it.

"Where are the others?" Cid asked automatically after defeating the monster.

Lulu shook her head. "Haven't found them yet. We're supposed to stay in one place if we get split up."

"Wait here if you want," said Cid. He looked at Auron, who was already walking away. "He's not."

The desert was a _really_ hot place. The scorching heat beat down on the three. Sweat dripped down their faces, but Auron certainly didn't seem to care. Luckily, they remembered to drink all the water they could before leaving the oasis. Fortunately, they found the others quickly, one after another.

First, they found Alexander under the shade of a tent. "Where's Sara?" he asked as soon as he saw them. Cid, Lulu, and Auron all shrugged. "Damnit! First I lose Sara. Then I'm ambushed by machina! Great day I'm having…"

After Alexander, Edgar was discovered. He was running up a sand dune, but it was too steep. He slid back down, shaking his head one final time before giving up. "Sara is gone…" For once, Edgar seemed to be disappointed. Cid tried to give him some cheery words, but they didn't seem to have any effect.

Helena was on the top of a sand dune, scanning the area. "Oh, hey guys! Where's Sara?" she asked cheerfully. Cid was amazed that an Al Bhed girl like Helena could always be so happy and joyful. They also didn't know. They traveled some more distance along the desert before Helena stopped them.

"There's something I wanna tell you, but promise not to say anything," she said. Alexander looked at her suspiciously. "No glaring either!" she snapped at him. "I know where we are. We're on Bikanel Island. There's a place us Al Bhed call Home near here. Sara's there. I'm sure of it! Other Al Bhed probably came and rescued her."

"Rescued?" Alexander spat. "You mean kidnapped!"

"What does it matter as long as she's safe?" interrupted Cid to prevent another Al Bhed – Yevon argument between Helena and Alexander.

Helena nodded. "Right! Anyway, I'll take you there if you promise not to tell anyone about it." She looked at Alex. "Especially not Yevonites. They don't like us Al Bhed, and who knows what they'll do if they knew?" The others promised, but Alexander was holding back. The other five managed to convince him, verbally and a bit physically, to swear. They followed Helena through the desert. Cid noticed that it was much easier to travel in desert after he got used to the temperature. Auron didn't take off his jacket even though it was burning on the outside. As they approached the final hill, Helena arrived there first. She screamed out loud in fear. The others caught up and saw. Home was under attack. On instinct, they ran down the hill as fast as they could.

In Home, there were tons of Al Bhed shooting as fast as they could with their guns, but they were so outnumbered that for every bullet they shot, two more would die. Helena ran to a man who had just been pierced through the stomach by a bird fiend, similar looking to the one that Cid had encountered near the oasis. "Keyakku! Who? Who's attacking us? Fru tet drec du oui?" she asked him. The man managed to murmur two words: Guado and Yevon.

"A war between the Guado and Al Bhed?" questioned Lulu, also in surprise.

"Dryd ec fnuhk! Guado ku vun dra summoner," said a man who appeared out of the shadows. He had short blonde hair and green eyes. The man wore a similar outfit to Helena's, only it was yellow. Helena whispered something like "Vydran." The man went to Keyakku's body, closing his eyes with a hand. "You Helena's friends?" he asked them. "Well, don't just stand there! C'mon! Let's go kick the Guado out of our Home!"

"And that was…" Cid began to say something.

"Braig," whispered the Al Bhed girl. "He's my dad, leader of the Al Bhed."

Cid snapped her out of her trance-like state. "Well, c'mon! Let's go save Sara!" He threw open the entrance door and ran inside. Helena followed closely behind, while Auron and Edgar took up the rear.

The inside of Home was like a complex maze. There were a dozen passageways, yet Helena seemed to know exactly where she was going. Suddenly, they stopped at a fork. A voice blared somewhere from a loudspeaker. "Drec pedac! Helena! Oui nayt sa? Oui ku ihtan, duu! E's majamehk Home! Yht dra fiend fedh ed!" announced Braig's voice.

"Oh no!" screamed Helena. "We have to get underground." For once, her voice ordered them to do something. "Sara's in the Summoner's Sanctum! Over here!" She dashed to another door, pressing some buttons and entering. The others followed her closely.

"This place is done for," commented Alex as they ran.

Cid saw another emotional change for Helena. She actually looked _sad_. "You're right…You're right, Alex. We Al Bhed, we…we weren't always like this. Sin destroyed the island where we all used to live. After that, we were scattered all over Gaia. But then, my dad brought the Al Bhed together again. We few put our minds into it and worked together. Then, we could make a new home. Everybody worked hard, and we had our Home back again…But now…Why did things have to turn out this way?" She began to cry.

Alex stepped in front of her, looking at her face. "Helena…" He kicked the wall with his foot. "Damn those Guado! What are they thinking?"

Lulu changed the subject. "What is the Summoner's Sanctum, exactly?" she asked.

"The Summoner's Sanctum is the place where we keep the summoners. We keep them safe here. I know it's against the Teachings and all that…" Alexander nodded in agreement as he understood why they did that.

"It's quiet," Edgar mumbled. "Let's go." They all ran down a final set of stairs before throwing open the last door. "Sara!" he hollered.

"Sara, please be in here!" Helena yelled as loud as she could.

Cid knew the answer before he stepped into the room. "She's not here," said a woman's voice. "Hello, my name is Dona. I, too, am a summoner. Wait there until we have performed the Sending." The others stood in the entrance corner of the room.

Judas was there too, but much to Cid's dismay, Be'lal was nowhere to be seen. Many dead bodies of the Al Bhed were laid, almost in piles. Blood was everywhere to be seen, making the room a truly gory sight. "They died…protecting us," he said. "It's not much, but the least we can do is give them a proper Sending."

"The pilgrimages have to stop!" cried Helena. "If they don't, and they get to

Zanarkand... They might defeat Sin. Sara could...but then she...Sara will

die, you know? You know, don't you? Summoners journey to get the Final Aeon. With the Final Aeon, she can beat Sin. But then...but then... If she calls it, the Final Aeon's going to kill her! Even if she defeats Sin, it will kill Sara too, you know!"

"Don't you think we tried to stop her?" asked Lulu. "She follows her heart." Cid now knew, somewhat, what Sara and Lulu and Alexander had been talking about on the boat to Kilika.

"Sara, she knew what she was doing when she chose to become a summoner. To face Sin! She knew!" Cid added.

"But that's totally wrong!" argued back Helena. "Summoners shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves just so the rest of Gaia can be happy."

"That is our choice," began Judas, moving towards a monster that appeared not too long ago.

"We all live in fear of Sin," said Dona.

"A world without Sin…That is the dream of all Yevon's children. And we will use that power, even if it means our lives!" he finished, summoning Valefor.

Cid didn't notice that tears were rolling down his eyes. He was pounding the floor with his fist. He cared too much about Sara to let her die. His mouth almost opened to laugh, but his crying shut that out. "I won't let her die. I'll find her!" he screamed as loud as he could till his throat began to throb. Cid ran to the airship dock and boarded.

"Hu desa! Ku, ku, ku!" Braig's voice was like an alarm bell.

"Where's Sara?" Cid asked as soon as he got on board and saw Braig. However, the Al Bhed man seemed to ignore him. "Where is she?" Braig still seemed to not look at him. Cid picked up Braig by the collar. "Answer me! Damn you, answer me!"

"What'll you do when you find her?" Braig asked in a mocking tone.

"I have to tell her that I care…I care about her!" he shouted back.

"That's it? You're going to tell her that you care? And then you drag her to Zanarkand and make her fight Sin? You're all the same -" Braig reached for Cid. "Let the summoner die so we can live in peace!" He threw Cid violently on to the ground.

"No!" responded Cid. He stood back up immediately. "I'm not gonna let her die!"

"Hah! Words! Show me action!"

He said the words very slowly and seriously. "She won't die."

"Boy, don't you forget those words. 'Cause if you do, I'm gonna make you regret it," warned Braig in an angry tone.

"I won't." Cid approached a large sphere Braig was looking at. "So, do you know where Sara is?"

"Course not! That's why we're going to look for her with this airship!"

Alexander looked very unsure. "Airship?" A rocking of the ground announced their departure.

"Oaaryy! E vmekrd 100 oaync ujantia!" yelled Braig excitedly. Cid would really have liked it if he didn't speak in Al Bhed so much. Over their heads, a hatch began to open. The airship took off into the air. After some more talking, Braig and two Al Bhed pilots began to sing the Hymn of the Fayth.

"What's going on?" Alexander asked.

"We're…We're going to blow up Home," explained Helena. Cid thought she would cry, but she just seemed sad.

"With one of the forbidden machina!" finished Braig almost too cheerfully. The sides of the airship opened to reveal more than a hundred cannons. They fired many missiles at the besieged Home once they were a safe distance away. Home detonated in a giant colossal explosion that caused a chain reaction by causing mines that were dug deep in the sands of the desert to be set off. Billions of mines and traps exploded at different times. They were all surprised that Braig actually pulled it off.

One of the pilots began to cry, but Braig seemed to say something in Al Bhed to comfort him. Alex also tried to cheer up Helena, but it didn't seem to work. After all, Alex _was_ a Yevonite.

Auron talked to Braig for awhile. "After rescuing Sara, then what? You want to keep her safe. Would you seek to stop her pilgrimage?" he asked.

"Of course!" the Al Bhed replied. "If she continues this stupid pilgrimage, she'll die! Sure as if you killed her yourself. No hair-brained law or teaching can send my niece to her death! When I save her, I'll make her give up being a summoner quicker than a desert melts ice!"

"Even against her will?"

"Better than dog's death! And I'll take down anyone who don't agree!"

The guardian looked away for a moment. "You are the captain." He walked away.

"Vydran!" one of the pilots called. "Fa vuiht Sara!"


	17. Rescue in Bevelle

Chapter XVI – Rescue in Bevelle

A screen came down from the roof of the cabin. It showed Sara, in a long white wedding dress that made her look like an elegant swan. Her hair was tied up in a strange fashion too. Seymour was there! He was wearing a white outfit similar to his government robes.

"The Palace of St. Bevelle. Heart of Yevon," announced Lulu.

"Let's go!"

"Easy, kiddo," Braig warned. "Bevelle's defences are top-notch." He sighed deeply. "You got guts. Cad luinca du Bevelle! Vimm cbaat yrayt!" Cid guessed it probably had something to do with setting course to Bevelle.

The traveling agency owner Rin ran up after another abrupt shaking. "We're being attacked from within. Some of the Guado that attacked Home must've snuck on board."

"Fiends! There's nothing to do but –"

"But destroy the ship and all go down together!" finished Helena. Braig looked at her like she was psychotic. "You gotta learn a little restraint, Pops. If you crash the ship, we can't rescue Sara! Leave the fiends to us professionals!" She stepped forward like a knight in shining armor. Cid ran up and stood by her and mimicked her pose.

They went to the cabin area. Auron looked out one of the many huge windows.

"Now that's a rare sight," he commented.

"The guardian wyrm, Evrae. The great sacred beast-protector of Bevelle!" Cid explained to the others. He had studied Gaia history in his training.

"The red carpet has teeth," laughed Auron.

Braig's voice was heard on a loudspeaker again. "Helena! You hear me? We're gonna go around this thing! We gotta keep our distance, but we can't let her get too far away. You have to tell me when to move! But tell me quick, eh? This rig ain't so nimble, ya hear?"

Cid and the other guardians took an elevator on to the deck, where they saw Evrae. The airship fired two harpoon wires at the bridge, which was a few flights of stairs below Sara's location. Cid's party jumped down on to the wires and slid down smoothly on the wires. Bullets and projectiles flew at them in all directions, yet they never managed to hit them. Cid decided to have some fun with it and did a sideflip and switched wires. He took a huge leap (unlike the leap of faith he took to reach the Al Bhed ship) and landed on the bridge. As soon as they landed smoothly on the ground, all of them drew their weapons. They all ran up, hacking and slashing as they went. Breaking through plenty of crowds (and Helena smashing through many machina with bombs and grenades), they reached the bottom of the staircase to the top. However, they were surrounded by many guards with guns pointed at them.

"This has gone far enough!" announced Maester Kinoc, a man in yellow and white robes. Cid remembered seeing the man at Operation Mi'ihen, although he didn't play such a major role.

The others watched as Sara stepped in front of Seymour, placing the rod horizontal to her. "You would play at marriage just for a chance to send me? Your resolve is admirable. All the more fitting to be my lovely wife."

Sara began to Send Seymour, but Maester Mika's voice stopped her. The old man was Seymour's advisor, and sometimes even ruled for Seymour. Cid found it ironic that Sara wanted to meet Mika, but in this fashion, it almost made him laugh. "Stop! Do you not value your friends' lives? Your actions determine their fate. Protect them, or throw them away. The choice is yours." Sara held her staff steadily in front of Seymour. Seconds later, it fell to the floor, bouncing down the steps near Cid's feet.

"You are wise," Seymour said.

Seymour clutched Sara close to him, and they kissed. Her guardians were speechless. A bell sounded after they kissed. "Kill them," ordered Seymour.

"I am sorry," apologized Kinoc, raising a gun at their face. "But it is for Yevon."

"Aren't those weapons forbidden by Yevon?" questioned Auron. Kinoc pointed his weapon at Auron.

"There are exceptions."

"No!" Sara's voice cut through the air like a knife. She stood at the edge of the balcony. If she took one step, she would fall. "Throw down your weapons! Let them go!" she demanded. "Or else…" Her voice turned deadly like venom. She took the tiniest step closer to the edge. The guards surrounding Sara's guardians lowered their weapons. "Leave, please!" she beseeched to her guardians.

"No! You're coming with us!" Cid yelled back. _I won't let her die. Not now, not ever._

"Don't worry! Go!" she pleaded.

Seymour faced her with a strange face. "This is foolish," he said, shaking his head. "If you fall, surely you will die."

"Don't worry." Her hands were clasped into fists. "I can fly." Cid looked at her face. "Believe." She fell back, off the edge of the balcony.

"Sara!" screamed Cid. He saw her fall of the edge with a solid face.


	18. Trial

Chapter XVII – Trial

"Cover your eyes!" Helena ordered, running forward and throwing a flashing object on to the ground. Cid threw up his hands over his eyes. A bright white light danced across everybody's vision. They made their escape at that moment.

"What was that?" asked Alexander.

"An Al Bhed flashbomb!" Helena replied.

They broke threw the crowd once more, this time going in a different direction. Cid led the group, knowing where he was going. The company stopped to catch their breath. "Where did Sara go?" asked Helena.

"The Bevelle Palace is a temple. Sara goes to one place only," explained Edgar.

They proceeded to the next area. Helena saw something to their left. It was a control panel. She pressed a few buttons, and a metal staircase spiraled down. "What's a machina doing in a temple?" Alexander seemed to be in shock, again.

"I dunno. I suppose it comes in handy," shrugged Helena.

"That's not what I mean! What about the Teachings?" demanded Alex. The Al Bhed girl just shrugged and started down the staircase. "Another machina?" Helena went to go press some more buttons before deactivating a jelly-like barrier.

"So this is Yevon's true face. They betray their own teachings," commented Auron.

"They treated us like dirt."

At that moment, Cid momentarily stopped. He saw something. His vision turned completely white, enveloped in a bright radiance of light.

_Sparks flew as two blades collided with each other. _Clang! Clang! Clang! _The music of steel rang in the cold, damp air. A place like this wasn't exactly the best place to sentence someone to die. Two men held their swords high, battling each other. One had the look of a deadly viper, poised to strike at any time. The other wore a worried expression, as if he was fighting not for himself but for another. The man with the dangerous expression leaped at the second person, lunging with his blade. In one smooth movement, he was hurled away by the force of steel hitting steel. Knowing he had been defeated, he ran to the only person that he could depend on to win, putting a sword at her throat. One word rang clearly in Cid's mind:_ Be'lal.

He awoke from his trance while in the waiting room outside the Chamber of Fayth. Cid shook his head, clearing his mind of the vision he had just seen. _Be'lal, Judas, and Sara_ he remembered, reciting the names in his head. Sara came out of the Chamber of Fayth as he finished saying the people. Immediately, soldiers with guns and Kinoc appeared out of nowhere.

"You are to stand trial," said the governor.

"I expect it will be a fair trial," replied Auron with a grimace.

"The High Court of Yevon is now in session," announced a tall Maester at a high platform. It was Maester Kelk. Maester Mika and Seymour and Kinoc were all present too. "The sacred offices of the court seek nothing but the absolute truth, in Yevon's name. To those on trial: Believe in Yevon, and speak only the truth." He now focused on Sara. "Summoner Sara, you have sworn to protect the people of Yevon, true?" The woman said yes quickly. "Then consider. You have inflicted dire injury upon Maester Seymour Guado and conspired with the Al Bhed and joined in their insurrection. These are traitorous and unforgivable crimes that disturb the order of Yevon. Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such violence."

"Your Grace," Sara began. "The real traitor is Maester Seymour! He killed his father with his own hands!"

Maester Kelk looked shocked. He turned to Seymour, looking for the truth. "Hmm? Haven't you heard?" asked Seymour in an amused tone.

Sara didn't stop there. "Not only that…Maester Seymour is already dead!"

Lulu assisted Sara in her argument. "It is a summoner's sacred duty to send the souls of the departed to the Farplane! Sara is only doing her job as a summoner!"

"Grand Maester Mika," said Sara. "Please, send Seymour now!"

"Send the unsent where they belong?" asked Mika. He seemed to be in much thought. "Send the dead…hmm?" Pyreflies began to leave his body. "You would have to send me too."

"Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader. Even in death, he is invaluable to Gaia," explained Kelk.

"Enlightened rule by the dead is preferable to the misguided failures of the living," Kinoc added.

"Life is but a passing dream," Seymour said in a wheezy tone. "But the death that follows is eternal."

"Men die. Beasts die. Trees die. Even continents perish. Only the power of death truly commands Gaia. Resisting its power is futile."

"But what of Sin?" protested Sara. "I am a summoner, my lord. I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings. Are you…" Her voice cracked for a second. "Are you telling me that, too, is futile? Grand Maester Mika, I'm not alone! All the people who have opposed Sin…Their battles, their sacrifices…were they all in vain?"

Mika shook his head. "Not in vain. No matter how many summoners give their lives, Sin cannot be truly defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped. Yet the courage of those who fight gives the people hope. There is nothing futile in life and death of a summoner."

"Never futile, but never ending," Auron whispered.

"Indeed, that is the essence of Yevon! Yevon is embodied by eternal, unchanging continuity, summoner." Sara looked shocked, her mouth dropping from her mouth. "Those who question these truths are traitors!"


	19. Fate

Chapter XVIII – Fate

Everybody was imprisoned in hanging cages in twos, one of them in a triplet. Cid shared a cell with Auron. He paced around in a circle until Kinoc came to them. "Come out. Your sentence has been decided," he ordered.

"Sentence? Don't you mean execution?" suspected Auron with a raised eyebrow.

"Really, now, what person would execute a dear friend?" asked Kinoc sweetly.

"You would."

They were thrown into the Via Purifico, the Maze of Sorrow. It was a winding and twisting web of paths where only one would lead out. They were scattered in different areas. Cid found Sara first. He noticed that the Via Purifico reminded him of something **_very_** familiar. They found the others very quickly in various places. The Via Purifico was very cold and damp. Faint lights flickered on and off on the walls. They found the exit very easily, as it was the only path that went straight in one direction. Cid could feel something was going to happen, and usually, it did. They took the final step out of Via Purifico.

"Lady Sara! So it is you!" gasped Judas at the end of the room. Be'lal was at his side too.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"We rode the airship to the Calm Lands. Then we came to Bevelle. Maester Kinoc summoned us to 'deal with the traitors'." He looked down. "No matter how much I hate it, the temple's orders are law. You're a traitor!"

"What are you doing here?" Cid asked Be'lal, not paying attention to Judas and Sara.

"I'm taking care of the traitors," smiled Be'lal with a warning tone. He drew his sword in one swift movement and slashed at Cid, who just managed to pull his sword out of its sheathe to block.

So this was how it were to be, Cid and Sara battling against Be'lal and Judas. One fighting with aeons, one fighting with swords. Be'lal and Judas would die. Cid suddenly knew that he was the last person, the one who had defeated Be'lal. He saw, in the corner of his eye, Sara summon Shiva to defend against Judas' Ifrit. Knowing that Sara could take care of herself, he swiped at Be'lal in a complicated combination of attacks. Be'lal dodged and deflected every single one of the slashes and countered with a fierce lunge. Cid jumped to his right, landing near a wall. Just as he had planned, Be'lal jabbed his sword into the wall. Cid then proceeded to perform a trip kick and snatched his friend's sword. Creating an illusion that he was slashing with both swords, Cid swiped with almost inhumane speed. However, Be'lal leaped high into the air, stepping on Cid's sword, and somehow catching his own blade between his wolf-like teeth. The guardians dueled in a deadly fight to the finish. Cid received a sharp gash on his stomach and some minor wounds on the chest and managed to give Be'lal a sharp bite of steel in the thigh and left cheek. Sweat beaded down their faces, and both were motivated by the feeling of protection of their summoner. The battle seemed to last forever as Via Purifico was filled with the shrieks of aeons and the clashing of steel. Cid raised his sword, rushing in with his sword protectively in front of him. Suddenly, a loud explosion of fire and light seemed to rock the world all together. It launched the guardians off their feet. Smoke covered the whole place, enshrouding it in black opaque clouds. Cid took the advantage of the situation and ran into the smoke. Be'lal hastily recovered and followed suit. At first, nothing could be heard except for two swords constantly colliding with each other relentlessly. Sara's newest aeon, the dragon king Bahamut, swept the haze away with a heavy gust of wind. Everybody in the Via Purifico could see it now. Cid held two swords, an impressive-looking broadsword and one that seemed to be made up of steel wings, and both blades were pointing down at the fallen body of Be'lal. Judas, too, lay in a sitting position on the cold floor, a defeated look on his face. Much to all of their surprise, especially Cid, Be'lal sprung back to life and reached into his clothes to reveal a concealed knife. Dashing to Sara, who had just dismissed Bahamut, he held her hostage with the deadly curved dagger.

"You would think you had won," Be'lal sneered with a wolfish smile. "But you haven't."

"No!" screamed Alexander and Lulu at the same time.

"You can't do this!" Helena shouted. "It's not right!" With much irony, she screamed, "Yevon forbids it!"

Edgar and Auron stared at Sara's face, glanced at Be'lal's, then back at the summoner. Cid stepped forward bravely, with a hard face and an aura of determination.

"Be'lal, you were my friend once," he began. "But that was the past." Cid looked down at the floor. "Our childhood was one entity, and our hearts beat in unison." Then, he looked up again solemnly. "But you haven't seen it yet. I have won already."

His visions played out just like he had hoped them to. An invisible shield surrounded Sara as she began to summon Valefor. Be'lal swiftly rushed in with a raised knife, jabbing straight at Sara's heart. The weapon shattered against the defense of a summoner. The giant bird came swooping through Via Purifico. His talons tore through Be'lal's body. Blood burst out everywhere in a shower of fate. The two defeated fell on the floor as dead as doornail.


	20. Friends

Chapter XIX – Friends

Hurling Be'lal's sword at point-blank range, Cid dashed to his friend's side. He gingerly felt the deep wounds that he made. He whispered his name one last time before placing the corpse of his friend back on to the cold floor.

"Be'lal," he muttered to himself.

Sara came forward quickly. "It's best if I perform the Sending for them," the summoner explained.

Cid let his tears drop from his face like rain freely. "He…he tried to kill me," he stuttered slowly. "He…betrayed Yevon…He took all that he had learned and threw it away…"

"No," interrupted Sara. The guardian looked helplessly up at her calm face. "Be'lal never betrayed Yevon, nor did Judas. Both of them were true at heart but weak in mind." She looked sad. "And Maester Seymour exploited that to warp their fate into what they are now."

"Seymour," grunted Cid through clenched teeth. He stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes with a swipe of his arm. "I'm gonna kill that guy!" He raised his sword high into the air. "I'll stab every part of his body and pierce his soul before I die!" Be'lal's broadsword was lying on the ground innocently. "And I'll use you too," he muttered to himself only, as he picked it up.

"Fresh air!" announced Helena, relieved from being trapped in a cold, wet dungeon for such a long time. Her joy was cut short, a little _too_ quickly. She screamed out loud with a shrieking tone as Seymour came into view. He was accompanied by four well-armed guards and Kinoc.

Surprisingly enough, Auron stepped forward with a surprised look on his face. "Kinoc…?" he mumbled with a tone of recognition. Kinoc's feet were motionless. The guards dragged him instead.

Anger began to build up in Cid. "Why, you!" He couldn't put his hatred into words.

Seymour looked with those wickedly calm eyes. "I have saved him," he said as the guards threw the dead body on to the ground. "He was a man who craved power. And great power he had." He looked at the still form of Kinoc. "But he feared losing it." Seymour turned his gaze to the group again. "Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by fears, never knowing rest. You see…Now he has no worries. He has been granted eternal sleep. Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away…Ah, yes. You see…if all life were to end on Gaia, all the suffering would end. Don't you see? Do you not agree?" Those mysterious eyes fell upon Sara. "That, Sara, is why I need you. Come, Lady Sara. Come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Gaia, and for this…I will take from you your strength, Sara, your life, and become the next Sin. I will destroy Gaia! I will save it!" His last two sentences sounded out through Bevelle with an inhumane tone.

Edgar thrust his spear into the place where a human heart would be. But, much to their surprise, Seymour didn't die. The guards and Kinoc transformed into pyreflies, which were somehow absorbed by Seymour. His skin turned a pale white, and he seemed to have a shadow behind him, materialized out of nowhere, yet made up of that same grotesque white material. "Run!" ordered Edgar.

"Go!" added Auron, beginning to flee.

"No way!" protested Cid, standing his ground and drawing his blade. "I'm fighting!"

Auron raised his giant sword. "I said go!" Cid looked at him, then Edgar, and sped off to the other end of the bridge. After all, Bevelle _was_ built over water. They almost were at Macalania Woods when Sara stopped.

"I won't leave Edgar behind!" she said loudly.

"He is a guardian," replied Auron. "Protecting you is everything."

Cid thought for a moment. Then he spoke out loud. "That's right! We're all guardians! And you know what that means?" He turned to Sara. "Sara…Wherever you go, I'll follow!"

"Anywhere?" asked the woman with a raised eyebrow. Cid nodded quickly. "Well, then…"

Their voices said the words in unison. "Let's go!"

"Hey Edgar! Leave some for us!" yelled Cid, pedaling his feet as fast as he could. Sara had much more stamina than Cid thought. Perhaps, it wasn't her strength. Perhaps, it was the strength of a friend.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Alexander ran to follow them.

"Me too!" Helena followed suit.

Lulu gave Auron a rare smile and said, "I'll go too." Auron shook his head and followed.

Seymour's feet didn't touch the ground. He was suspended in mid-air, levitating. Both Cid _and_ Auron went berserk. Cid had no clue why, but it must've had something to do with Kinoc. Perhaps they were long-time friends or something like that. Sara called forth her newest aeon, Bahamut. Alexander played catch with Helena's grenades. Cid finally realized that the two, despite their different religions and backgrounds, were very similar. He couldn't help but smile as Alex batted each grenade at Seymour with his shield as the Al Bhed tossed them at him. Edgar too attacked Seymour with much hostility. Lulu stood back with Sara and doused flames that Seymour created. Just like the previous battle with Seymour, they began with a powerful, aggressive offence. They were eventually blown away into separate corners as Seymour created a heavy wind that constantly pushed them back. The only one who wasn't was Sara, who was protected by Bahamut. Eventually, even the aeon vanished into pyreflies, due to Seymour's immensely powerful magic. Seymour's claw-like fingers latched on to her arms.

"Oh no you don't," muttered Cid. He recovered back on to his feet and threw his sword like a projectile. It cut through the wind like a speedy arrow and struck Seymour's hands while returning back to Cid's hand like a boomerang. Who ever knew that he could do _that_? He truly surprised himself a lot.

Helena fell into a sitting position. "Ouch! That hurts a lot, you big meanie!" she screamed. Cid had to hold himself back from shaking his head in disappointment.

Auron grimaced sourly. "This isn't something that you'd expect," he muttered softly to himself, although the others heard it.

"I'm beginning to think this guy is too much!" exclaimed Alex.

"Definitely not!" piped up Sara's voice. She somehow summoned Valefor, Ifrit, Ixion, and Shiva all at once. All the aeons bombarded Seymour with a combination of devastating blows. Seymour was caught in the midst of a blizzard of thunder, wind, and fire. He didn't dissipate. Instead, Seymour just vanished into thin air.

Hundreds of guards poured out of the exit of Via Purifico. "Run!" commanded Auron.

They fled into Macalania Woods. Auron disappeared for awhile into the trees to check for any other sentinels. Later, he reappeared before them. "We're all clear." Everybody let out a sigh of relief except for Sara, who was not present. She was alone in a lake across from their campsite. Edgar followed her to watch over her. "We will have to avoid Bevelle in the future." Cid asked him about Sara. He only responded with "She said she wanted to be alone."

Remembering his promise, Cid went to the icy lake. Sara stood in the shallows of the water, which reached up to her knees. "I always thought that this would be easier somehow," she said. "I thought that everyone would help me…" She floated over the water on her back, swimming a perfect backstroke at an extremely sluggish pace. "With all my friends together beside me…I've been trying so hard."

"Maybe you're trying too hard," Cid suggested, diving into the water. "Just don't do it." He couldn't help to close his mouth before those words came out. "Forget all about Sin, about being a summoner. Forget all that. Live a normal life. Come on, Sara. What'd you say?"

She thought for a moment. "Maybe I will." Sara stood up in the water. "Wouldn't everybody be surprised?"

Cid nodded. "Yeah, except for Helena. She'd be with you. Lulu and Alex won't hold back for long."

"Edgar would say yes too," added Sara. "But what about Sir Auron?"

"I'll make him understand." She looked up at the sky. "What would I do then?"

"We can go to Bevelle!" Cid said. "Not the one that exists now, but one without Seymour or any unsents. "We can all fly there! Everybody can come! We can have a big party on the highbridge!" Sara looked just as excited as Cid.

"We can have a blitzball dome built there! Maybe Alex and you can make your own team! We can watch you play! I'd cheer and cheer till I couldn't cheer anymore!" Then she stopped herself. "Well, what would happen after the game?"

"We can go out and have fun!"

"In the middle of the night?" asked Sara, confused.

Cid threw back his head and laughed. "Wherever I stay never sleeps!" Sara tried to suppress a chuckle. "Maybe we can go to the sea, right before sunrise! First, all the lights in cities will go out. Then, stars will start coming into view. First in the sea, then in the sky, then to the whole world. It'll get brighter and brighter, till everything glows! It'd be really pretty. You'd like it."

"I'd love to see it…" She trailed off. Cid heard her mumble the word "someday" after. It was then that he noticed that tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"Sa…?" He didn't get to finish his sentence.

"I can't!" she cried through her sobs. "I just can't! I can't go!" Cid wanted to comfort her, just make her smile again. This wasn't the normal Sara that began on the pilgrimage. She had changed, with the experience of Yevon's betrayal and Seymour's malicious plans. Before he knew what he had just done, Cid gave Sara a light kiss.

Sara stepped out of the lake. "I'll continue," she declared. "I must. If I give up now…I could do anything I wanted to, and yet…Even if I was with you, I could never forget."

"And I'll go with you. I'm your guardian." Cid then looked at the ground, putting on a mock meek look. "Unless…I'm fired…"

She just simply laughed. "No. Stay with me until the end. Please."

"Not until the end." He then dropped his voice into a low whisper. "Forever." Unfortunately, they forgot that Edgar was still there. Luckily, the man left after hearing their conversation.

"Maybe you should head back to camp first," Sara suggested. Cid began to go when she stopped him again. "Wait. I'll go with you." They walked off into the midnight sky, hand in hand, awaiting together what would confront them next.

Author's Note: I know the relationship isn't very clear, but I still tossed it in there. Hope you enjoy this chapter!


End file.
